Jesuit Block and Estancias of Córdoba

From a single city block in Córdoba, the Society of Jesus ran a remarkable experiment in faith, learning and economics that lasted over 150 years through the 17th and 18th centuries. The block holds the Jesuits' church, residence and college, along with the university they founded in 1613 — among South America's oldest — while five estancias, the farming estates that financed the enterprise, dot the surrounding countryside. UNESCO inscribed the ensemble as a World Heritage Site in 2000.