Villarrica del Espíritu Santo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˌbiʎaˈrika ðel esˈpiɾitu ˈsanto]), is a city in Paraguay. Located in the middle of the Eastern Region of Paraguay, it is the capital and most populous city of Guairá Department.

It is located to the center west of Guairá and is bordered to the east by the towns of Mbocayaty and Yataity, to the west by Itapé and Félix Pérez, to the east by Independencia, Ñumí and Garay, and to the south by San Salvador and Borja.

Founded in 1570 by Sevillian Ruy Díaz de Melgarejo, it is one of the oldest settlements in Paraguay. Nevertheless, the original foundation site was located within the extinct Spanish province of Guayra in what is now the state of Parana in Brazil. The residents of Villarrica were forced to relocate seven times during a timespan of more than 100 years. These relocations were mainly caused by the repeated attacks from the neighbouring portuguese bandeirantes but also by political and economical issues. They were finally settled in its current location near Ybytyruzu hills in 1683. As a result, the city got the nickname of "Wandering City".^[1]

After the end of the Paraguayan War in 1870, Villarrica experimented a rapid economical and populational growth becoming the second most important Paraguayan city after the capital Asuncion. Nowadays, the city is still a well-known cultural hub.

The Tordesillas Treaty signed by Castile and Portugal set ambiguous borders between the two empires in South America. Portugal took an aggressive and expansionist policy usually disrespecting the agreements of the treaty. Meanwhile, the Spanish in Asuncion decided to settle more towns to the east closer to the Portuguese border to reinforce their territorial claims.

In the 1550s, what is now Paraguay was a province of the Governorate of New Andalusia and was ruled by Captain Domingo Irala. Under the command of Irala, they founded a city named Ontiveros to continue the conquest of the lands to the east of Asuncion known as the lands of Guayrá. In 1557, Ruy Diaz Melgarejo founded another city in Guayrá named Ciudad Real with the purpose of reducing the abuse that the Portuguese were inflicting on the Cario Indigenous tribe but also due to the strategic location as a trail towards Brazil. A couple of years later, the interim Governor Felipe de Cáceres has a personal dispute with Melgarejo and drives him out of the office of governor of the province of Guayra. Cáceres appoints an Andalusian conquistador named Alonso Riquelme to replace Melgarejo. When Riquelme arrives in Ciudad Real, Melgarejo has him arrested, incarcerated and later banished to a cabin forty leagues away of the town.  

In the 16th century, Melgarejo departs from Ciudad Real with 40 men and 53 horses towards the East where he expected to find mines of gold and silver. After arriving in the lands of Indian chief named Cuaracybera (Shining-Sun), he settles a new town on May 14, 1570, and names it Villa Rica del Espíritu Santo (Wealthy village of the Holy Ghost) because of the belief that there were precious metals in the area and because the date was near the Catholic festivity of the Holy Ghost.

In 1592, explorer Ruy Díaz de Guzman moves the city 100 km east. In 1599, he moves it again, this time near the Mboteitei River, 100 leagues from Asunción. After long years of peaceful existence, the city was invaded in 1632 by the bandeirantes, and after 4 years of pilgrimage the population settles near Mbaracayu hills. Two years later, Governor Valderrama determined to situate it in the fields of Yaru. In 1642, the population moves again this time to Curuguaty. In 1678, the population settled close to the Tobatyry River, in a place called "Espinillo". The soil was no good for agriculture so many people decided to do a recognition expedition of the area beyond the Tebicuarymi River.

On the other side of the river, they found fertile land and several streams near the Ybytyruzú hills so they requested the Spanish Governor's authorization to move the city again. On May 25, 1682, the Governor issued the license to settle in Ybyturuzú to await the King's official approval. On May 14, 1701 King Philip V issues the Royal Order that approves the permanent settlement of the city in Ybyturuzú. This date became the ultimate date of foundation. The Franciscan missionaries helped the town's stabilization, founding the Guaraní Mission of Itapé

The Franciscan friars in an effort of educating the population and gaining souls to the Catholic faith ran a convent that worked as an elementary and secondary school from the 1600s until 1818 when Gaspar de Francia the dictator of Paraguay had it shut as part of his policy of retaining absolute control over the country. Schools were reopened in 1844 after Francia died but only to be shut again in 1865 with the declaration of the Paraguayan War. When the war was over in 1870, Villarrica had a very small population due to the large casualties. In 1888, the railway got to Villarrica which started a rapid population and economical growth.

From 1892 to the beginning of the 1900s, the city received an important influx of Italians, French, Spaniards, Germans, Ashkenazi Jews, Argentines, Uruguayans and a lesser number of Lebanese, Croats and Greeks. These immigrants helped develop the industry, the culture and the education making Villarrica the second most important city after the capital, Asuncion. However, the two Paraguayan civil wars had a deep effect in the city, especially the so called Revolution of 1947 when the Paraguayan military took over and cause the migration of thousands of Paraguayans and an important part of Villarrica intellectual people spread across the country or made it to Argentina. A similar phenomenon occurred from 1954 to 1989 with the political persecutions during the regime of Alfredo Stroessner. By the end of the 20th century Villarrica had lost its prominent position within the country to newer settlements like Ciudad del Este, Encarnacion and Luque.

The head of the Executive Branch of the city is the Municipal Mayor who is elected every four years through direct suffrage and can be re-elected consecutively once. The current Mayor is the doctor Magín Benítez of the PLRA political force who assumed office in 2022. The mayor governs accompanied by the Municipal Board, which consists of 11 members called Municipal Councilors. Councilors have both the same duration in office and the same conditions for re-election as the Mayor. Currently, the Villarrica Board is made up of 7 councilors from the ANR party and 4 from the PLRA. The headquarters of the Municipal government is the building called Palacete Municipal de Villarrica, which is located on General Díaz and Mariscal López streets in the Centro neighborhood.

From the end of the Triple Alliance (1870) until 1910, the city was administered by a commission of citizens called the Administrative Economic Board. One of the presidents of said board was the founder of the Liberal Party Antonio Taboada. The first Mayor of Villarrica was Cosme Codas who assumed that position on April 6, 1910.

• 1570 – Founding of Villarrica

• 1592 – First Move of the city

• 1599 – Second Move of the city

• 1634 – Third Removal of the city

• 1642 – Fourth Move of the city

• 1674 – Fifth Move of the city

• 1678 – Sixth Removal of the city

• 1683 – Seventh Move of the city, definitive settlement

• 1683 – Construction of the first Franciscan oratory, today Cathedral of Villarrica

• 1701 – King Philip V approved its definitive foundation

• 1788 – The first Paraguayan doctor is born Juan Vicente Estigarribia

• 1839 – The first Paraguayan poet is born Natalicio Talavera

• 1872 – Formation of the first communal government

• 1876 – Birth of Ramón Indalecio Cardozo one of the greatest educators in Paraguay.

• 1884 – Formation of the first Municipal Board

• 1885 – Installation of the first public kerosene lanterns

• 1887 – Extension of the railway route from Paraguarí to Villarrica

• 1887 – Founding of the Democratic Center today Liberal Party

• 1888 – Foundation of the Club Porvenir Guaireño

• 1891 – End of construction of the structure of the Villarrica Cathedral

• 1894 – Birth of the Poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero

• 1907 – Beginning of the construction of the municipality building and founding of the first soccer club

• 1910 – Appointment of the first mayor municipal Cosme Codas Ynsfrán

• 1911 – Establishment of the first cinematograph

• 1913 – Construction of the Municipal Theater of Villarrica and construction of a shooting range

• 1913 –Visit of the former president of the United States Theodore Roosevelt

• 1914 – End of the construction of the municipality and installation of electric public lighting

• 1924 – Inauguration of the municipal slaughterhouse

• 1925 – Foundation of the equestrian society of Guairá

• 1927 – Founding of the Rotary Club

• 1929 – Through the bull Universi Dominici of Pope Pius XI, the diocese of Villarrica is created.

• 1931 – Appointment of the first Bishop of the diocese of Villarrica Monsignor Agustín Rodríguez

• 1940 – Foundation of the Paraguayan American Cultural Center (CCPA)

• 1953 – Foundation of CLYFSA private electric power distribution company

• 1957 – Completion of the construction of the Ybaroty Church

• 1965 – Formation of the Guairá Medical Association

• 1967 – Installation of the French Alliance

• 1970 – Construction of the Guairá Government building

• 1971 – Construction of the Bus Terminal

• 1980 – Organization of the first Festival of Race

• 1984 – Creation of the Municipal Cast of Theatre

The district of Villarrica is located 20 km to the west of Ybytyruzu hills, 172 km to the east of Asunción, 237 km to the north of Encarnación and 217 km to the west of Ciudad del Este. Within the department of Guairá, it is located in the central-western region at a height of about 200m above sea level. The municipal territory has roughly a shape of a triangle and has an area of 247 km².

The soil is composed of sandstones interbedded with shales and oolitic calcareous formations. In the alluvial plains of the Tebicuarymí River, there seems to be Quaternary sediments.

The soils of the urban area are mainly sandy hills, with gentle slopes in the northern area and slightly steeper slopes in the south. Good drainage and no rockiness are also observed. Both in the urban area of Villarrica and in 14 de Mayo area (on the way to Ñumí) you can find ferruginous laterites and they occur in thick layers that support small topographic elevations. Due to the heavy deforestation, one can observe primitive tree species almost exclusively in areas of difficult access such as banks of streams. A great variety of grasses and palm trees grow In its terrain of undulating plains,. Grass can be natural grasslands or cultivated in order to feed cattle. The current extension of the palm groves is small but is increasing due to soil degradation.

Due to the particularly isolated location of Villarrica, there is no river that reaches its municipal territory. Instead, the city is irrigated by a network of tributary streams of the river Tebicuarymi. The type of drainage is centrifugal and good internal drainage in the urban area. There are springs that drain to the south, to a stream named Guarapo and this one drains to the Bolas Cuá stream basin.

To the north there is a stream named Bobo that serves as the border with the town of Mbocayaty. Almost parallel to the Bobo stream, there is one of its tributaries called Mitay. Mitay stream which serves as the limit between Villarrica and Yataity. To the west there is a tributary of Mitay stream named Kaundy. Kaundy is the border between Villarrica and Félix Pérez. Both Kaundy and Bobo are tributaries to Mitay stream. Mitay feeds into Tebicuarymi river to the northwest.

Three streams in the urban area named Itacua, Carumbey and Ycuaangua feed into another stream named Yhu. Yhu is a tributary of Bolas Cua and its confluence is located in the hamlet of Caazapami to the southwest of the municipality. In the southeastern end of the municipal territory, in an area named 14 de Mayo, there is a stream named Remansito which is the limit between Villarrica and the town of Ñumí. The Remansito runs slightly to the southwest. The Ovie stream is located southeast of the municipality between the areas 14 de Mayo and Lemos and runs towards the southwest until it merges with the Remansito to form a new stream named Bolas Cua. The Bolas Cuá stream, initially runs to the southwest where it serves as the border between Villarrica and San Salvador. However, when crossing the area named Yhacamí (San Salvador) it takes the northwest and once again borders the territory of Villarrica (Caazapamí) where it serves as the border between Villarrica and the town of Borja. Bolas Cua ultimately feeds into Tebicuarymi river.

Native animals that can be observed within the territory of the city are the following:

• Birds: Pitangus sulphuratus, Cyanochorax chrysops, Procnias nudicollis, Nyctibius griseus, Campephilus melanoleucos, Mergus octosetaceus, Vanellus chilensis and Amazona vinacea.
• Reptiles: Hydrodynastes gigas, Eunectes notaeus and Dracaena paraguayensis.
• Mammals: Myrmecophaga tridactyla, Cerdocyon thous, Didelphis albiventris and Vampyressa pusilla.

The most vulnerable animal species are the giant otter and the mantle hawk. The apex-predator, the jaguar is currently extinct in Villarrica and western Guaira.^[2]

As for native trees one can frequently see Handroanthus impetiginosus (pink lapacho), Handroanthus serratifolius (yellow lapacho), Jacaranda mimosifolia (blue jacaranda), Peltophorum dubium (ibirapita), Cordia trichotoma and Enterolobium contortisiliquum (pacara earpod tree).

Some native fruit are the passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), acerola cherry (Malpighia emarginata), brazilian cherry (Eugenia uniflora), macaw palm fruit (Acrocomia aculeata) and a fruit called aratiku (Annona nutans)

Villarica has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) bordering on a tropical rainforest climate (Af) and a tropical monsoon climate (Am). The climate, in general is benign and healthy, with an average temperature of 21 °C or 69.8 °F. In summer it can reach 38 °C or 100.4 °F, while in winter it can drop to 1 °C or 33.8 °F. The rainiest months are January and November.

It has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with an average annual temperature of 22.4 °C. According to data from the 2018 Climatological Yearbook for the Villarrica station in 2017, in December a maximum of 37 °C was recorded and in August the daily minimum of 3.4 °C. There were 19 days in the year when the temperature exceeded 35 °C and 11 days when it was below 5 °C. On no day was the temperature above 40 °C or below 0 °C. Regarding heliophany, the annual average was 6.7 hours of sunshine per day. December was the sunniest month and June the darkest. A total of 2,455.3 hours of sunshine were recorded in the city in one year, which corresponds to 102.3 days of sunshine. The total annual rainfall was 1441.8 mm. September and October were the wettest months while April and June were the driest. The average annual humidity was 76.6% and 97 days with rain were recorded throughout the year. The average annual wind speed was 5.3 km/h and the annual maximum was 74 km/h. The month with the highest wind speed was September and the lowest speed was January and April.

Electrical storms are common, usually causing flooding in homes located in low-lying areas, and in winter, frost during the early morning and at dawn affects crops.

The extreme maximum temperature observed was 40.4 °C in December 1985 The extreme minimum temperature observed was -3.0 °C in July 2000.​

The influx of European immigrants the city received in the late 19th century constituted a significant part of the ethnic make up of Villarrica until the second Paraguayan Civil War in 1947. After this conflict the number of European-descended people started to shrink rapidlly due to emigration to Asuncion and Argentina, decreasing birth rates among the Europeans, increasing birth-rates of the locals and mixed-unions with the already majoritary population with significant Indigenous and Sub-Saharian African ancestry. By the end of the 20th century the racial make up of Villarrica was virtually identical to the one of Paraguay having over 90% of racially-mixed residents who prefer to speak Jopara and Guarani over plain Spanish.

• 1950|25982
• 1962|30914
• 1972|33420
• 1982|34801
• 1992|43842
• 2002|55200
• 2012|66957
• 2022|62565

There are 14 neighborhoods that comprise the urban area and 23 hamlets that comprise the rural area.

	Neighborhoods		Hamlets		Hamlets
1	Estacion	1	Rincon	15	Cañada San Juan
2	Santa Lucia	2	Pisadera	16	Ytororo
3	San Miguel	3	Doña Juana	17	Itaybu
4	San Blas	4	14 de Mayo	18	Punta Kupe
5	Santa Librada	5	Lemos	19	Caazapami
6	Lomas Valentinas	6	Mbopicua	20	Potrero San Francisco
7	Urbano	7	Rosado	21	Potrero Baez
8	Cristo Rey	8	Caroveni	22	Potrero Isla
9	Centro	9	Tuyuti	23	Loma San Francisco
10	Ybaroty	10	Costa Espinillo
11	Yvyrarovi	11	Potrerito
12	Salesiano	12	Cañadami
13	Tuyutimi	13	Cañada Tape Kaaguy
14	Curuzu Francisco	14	Santa Rosa

The most important economic activities of Villarrica are commerce of Brazilian and Argentine goods, services and family-owned industries like sugar processing, furniture making and shoemaking. Commerce has such a relevance in the economy of the city as the universities attract students from all the other towns in Guaira, the departments of Caaguazu and Caazapa but also medical students from Brazil. As for agriculture, it has a decreasing importance. Only 10% of the total sugar cane cultivation of Guaira comes from Villarrica.^[7]

Villarrica is communicated to other towns in Paraguay mainly through Route No. 8 “Blas Garay”. To the North of Paraguay through Santani which starts at the junction of Route PY02 and Route PY07 and is paved until the district of Coronel Bogado in Itapúa Department. There is also another route that joins with Route PY07 that goes through the towns of Mbocayaty, Natalicio and Troche. Moreover, Route PY10 communicates Villarrica with the city of Paraguari. There are two paved roads that communicate Villarrica with the town of Itapé. The first one(18km) departs from Lomas Valentinas neighborhood and the other one (23km) departs from Santa Librada neighborhood. The road that communicates Villarrica directly to neighboring town of Felix Perez is still a dirt road.

Water service is provided by the government owned company ESSAP. Electricity is provided by the local private company CLYFSA. Villarrica is the only municipality in Paraguay that gets its electricity service from a private company.^[8] The service for Internet access is provided by the companies Tigo, Personal and the state-owned COPACO.

Some banks that have offices in Villarrica are Itau Bank from Brazil, Banco Nacion from Argentina and BNF, GNB and Continental from Paraguay. Some cooperative institutions are COOPEDUC (founded in Villarrica), COOMECIPAR (nation-wide health personnel) and Cooperativa Universitaria.

The electricity service is provided by the private and local company CLYFSA. Since 1953, CLYFSA is the first and only private electricity distribution company in Paraguay. The company has about 15,000 users and has 60 MVA (megavolt-ampere) of energy transformation capacity. Villarrica users are the only ones in all of Paraguay who are not obliged to use the service of the state-owned ANDE.

With respect to health, as the headquarters of the fourth health region of Paraguay, Villarrica is home to the Regional Hospital. This hospital is state-owned and has 86 hospital beds. The Social Security Institute Hospital (IPS) also has a headquarters in the city that has 40 hospital beds.56 In addition, there are 5 private hospitals, more than a dozen dental offices and a neuroscience center.

The green spaces of significance within the municipality are: Guairá Park, Manuel Ortiz Guerrero Park, Plaza de los Héroes, Plaza Libertad and Plaza Pettirossi.

The Guairá Park has a cycle path about 2.2km long, a public gym and paddle tennis, rugby, volleyball, soccer and basketball courts. The main attractions of Manuel Ortiz Guerrero Park are the boat ride through its lagoon, the tomb of local poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero and the capybaras. The Plaza de los Héroes, located in front of the Municipality headquarters, is dedicated to the combatants of the Chaco War (1932-1936) and contains a memorial to the seven removals of Villarrica. Plaza Libertad, located in front of the Government building, contains a statue of the personification of Liberty, a woman holding a torch. For its part, in Pettirossi Square there is a statue dedicated to the Paraguayan aviation pioneer Silvio Pettirossi and it has indoor soccer, basketball and volleyball fields.

The three main universities in Villarrica are UNA, UCV, and UNVES. UNA and UNVES are government-owned and UCV is private and run by the Catholic Church. The Medical School of the Catholic University in Villarrica is the second oldest in Paraguay only after the one of the UNA in San Lorenzo.

Among the prominent highschools in Villarrica there are Don Bosco and Maria Auxiliadora both run by the Salesian order of the Catholic Church; Centro Educativo Internacional run by non-denominational Christians; Buscio School which is private and secular and CRENT, government-owned and secular.

It has numerous educational institutions and schools, such as: the National School, the Ortiz Guerreo School, Technical and Vocational National School, the Diosesano Seminar, the Agriculture Regional School, Women Professional Institute, and the Pío XII School of Arts and Crafts.

Villarrica used to be regarded as the second most important city in Paraguay due to the dynamic cultural activity it had until the first half of the 20th century. The first Paraguayan physician, the first Paraguayan poet and the first Paraguayan neurosurgeon all hailed from Villarrica. Many renowned Paraguayan artists such as poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero, classical composer Diego Sanchez Haase and guitar player Cayo Sila Godoy were born and raised there. Several other Villarrica natives have been very relevant especially in education, journalism and literature. In addition, many towns in Paraguay such as Caaguazu, Mbocayaty, Independencia and even Union in San Pedro Department are said to have been settled by pioneers and families from Villarrica.

The oldest social club in Paraguay named Club Porvenir Guaireño was founded in Villarrica in 1888 and the first private electricity company named CLYFSA was also founded in the city in 1953. The second most popular political party in Paraguay, the PLRA was founded in Villarrica in 1886 by Villarrica-born Antonio Taboada.

Villarrica has its own soccer club named Guaireña F.C. and has competed in the First Division of Paraguayan Soccer Tournaments. Other popular sports in the city are rugby, basketball, cycling and tennis.

Villarrica has its own soccer club called Guaireña FC and has competed in the First Division of the Paraguayan Soccer Tournaments. Other popular sports in the city are rugby, basketball, cycling and tennis.

Among the social and cultural entities are:

• Club Porvenir Guaireño. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest social club in Paraguay.61

Rotary Club of Villarrica. Established in 1929, it is the second oldest Rotary Club in the country and the first in the interior.

• Municipal School of Dance, Declamation, Oratory and Guitar.
• Paraguayan American Cultural Center. It has a bilingual library with more than 445 books in Spanish and English donated by the United States embassy in Paraguay. Includes books for primary and secondary school students. In addition to texts for university students on American literature, democracy and economics.
• Fermín López Municipal Museum and Library. The premises are a colonial-style house built around 1842 during the government of Carlos Antonio López. Initially it functioned as a school called "La Patria". Currently, the site houses former possessions of the poet Natalicio Talavera, weapons used by the Paraguayan army in the Chaco War and in the Triple Alliance, and a collection of Paraguayan coins and banknotes. There are also bows, arrows, canoes and axes made by the indigenous people.
• CLYFSA Museum. Inaugurated in 2023 for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the local electricity distribution company. It offers guided tours to learn about the history of said company and basic engineering workshops for those interested in electricity and electronics.

From 1884 onwards, with the extension of the railway from Paraguarí to Villarrica, the latter experienced a period of economic takeoff due to its union with Encarnación and therefore Argentina. Although the railway no longer operates today, the old station and other buildings from the period still stand, many of them disused. The vast majority of buildings considered to be of architectural, cultural and historical interest are located in the neighborhood called "Center" of the city. Virtually all of them date from between the beginning of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

According to material prepared by the Department of History and Heritage of the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Art of the National University of Asunción, in 2008, 80 buildings of architectural interest were recognized in the city of Villarrica. Some of the buildings are mentioned below.

• Municipal Palace (1907-1913) The property that this building occupies today was the cemetery of the Jesuit Fathers during the period they remained in the city. After being expelled, the place passed into the hands of the Franciscans who built a convent there that would be closed by Dr. France in 1824. At the beginning of 1907, the foundation stone of the current building was laid. The work was suspended for a few years and was finally inaugurated in 1913. Juan Lombardi was the one who sent the project plans to the Municipal Board, leaving the project in charge of David Boggiani.

• Cathedral of Villarrica (1883-1891) Its current tower was initially made of wood and was located on one of the sides. A storm caused its collapse in 1877, so its reconstruction was organized. For its internal arrangements, materials belonging to the Franciscans were used. The building is shaped like a Latin cross and its exterior decoration has neo-Romanesque influences. Construction began in 1883 but was interrupted for three years. The builders Galparoli and Fraga completed the project in 1891. Its tower has a clock and three bells; The oldest bell dates from 1781.

• Municipal Museum «Maestro Fermín López» (1842) Dates from the time Carlos Antonio López. It first functioned as a boys' school (1842-1867). Then like the "La Patria" School. During the War of the Triple Alliance, a group of students from the school together with their teacher Fermín López decided to go to the battle of Acosta Ñu, where the majority were killed. For many years it remained a school with different names until it was converted into a museum in 1972 and is currently also the headquarters of the Directorate of Culture of Villarrica.

• Church of Ybaroty (1944-1957) The main people responsible for its construction were the fathers Spaniards Carlos Anasagasti (Guipúzcoa) and Andrés Saralegui (Cantabria). The façade is influenced by that of the Angoulême Cathedral, in France. Its architectural style is a combination of Romanesque with Gothic.

• Club El Porvenir Guaireño (1917-1919) It is the result of the union of Art Nouveau and neoclassical. The plans and the work were led by the engineer Italian Luis Zin. Most of the materials were imported from Europe. During the Chaco War it functioned as blood hospital. The building was declared Architectural, Cultural and Historical Heritage of the City of Villarrica in 2005.

• Banco Nacional de Fomento (1890) It has characteristics of neoclassical. It has two levels. It was built to be the headquarters of the Banco del Paraguay (Banco Central de Paraguay).

Other buildings of interest are the Municipal Theater (1911), the Francisco Arias Commercial Halls (1800), the Brizuela houses (1800), Vacchetta-Boggino (1820), Gerardo González (1840), Bogado-Fernández (1853), Escobar (1862), Guggiari/Buzarquis (1875) and Boettner-Balansá; the Guaireño Medical Center (1887), the Railway Station (1888) and the Guairá Socioeconomic Development Center (1890).

Event organized by the artistic department of the Municipality of Villarrica every October 12 as a commemoration of the discovery of America and coinciding with the Spanish celebration of Hispanic Heritage Day. It takes place at the Ycuá Pytá stadium and between 3,000 and 5,000 spectators attend. It consists of a week of events where artistic numbers are presented mainly from Paraguayan folklore but also from musicians from other genres and guests from abroad.

Among the Paraguayan artists who have participated are Quemil Yambay, Grupo Generación, Juan Cancio Barreto, Francisco Russo and Kchiporros while among the international artists Soledad Pastorutti, Alejandro Lerner, Los Nocheros and Luciano Pereyra have participated. Usually the week of the festival begins with the election of a type of beauty queen called Musa del Ybytyruzú and culminates with the gala night and presentation of awards to the participants. To date, 40 editions of the festival have already been held.

In 1992, the Asociacion Filarmonica Guaireña gives classes of violin, viola, cello, bass, flute and musical theory. They have also formed the Ensamble Lumine Antiqua which is the only Paraguayan band out of Asuncion that plays barroque music. The Department of Culture of the Municipality has its own choir named Sensus Aeternus and they organize Choir Festivals with other choirs from neighboring towns and Argentina. Privately owned institutes give classes of guitar, piano, drums and Paraguayan harp.^[9][10]

In the 2000s, the Friends of the Harp Cultural Commission was formed, which currently became the Friends of the Harp Cultural Association with legal status, made up of Guaireño citizens who love the Paraguayan harp, who carry out a very important activity in defense of the cultural and artistic heritage of the region. Subsequently, Law 3844 was sanctioned and promulgated, declaring the municipality of Félix Pérez Cardozo Cradle of the Paraguayan Harp and the Department of Guairá National Capital of the Harp. Since its formation, this commission has been organizing Harp Marathons with 24 hours of uninterrupted execution. The Guaireños aspire to obtain UNESCO recognition as the “World Harp Capital.”

It is a traditional means of transportation from Villarrica, brought from the city of Encarnación, which consists of a wooden cart with a roof and pulled by horses. Its name comes from the Guaraní word karumbe which means turtle. Although it currently has a greater tourist utility, the carumbé is still frequently used as an alternative means of transportation, as is the case with taxis, which have their main stops in the two markets of the city. In addition, there is an association of “carumbé drivers” or “carumbeseros”.

They receive support from the municipality and have to meet well-defined requirements such as carrying a specific number, keeping the cars in good condition and painting them orange. It is estimated that there are about 50 copies in circulation.

The carnival celebration in Villarrica originated in 1926 with a group of women who organized a dance with masks and pompous dresses in Plaza Libertad in front of the Guairá Government building. Since then it has evolved, acquiring more characteristics of Brazilian carnivals. Organized by the Municipality of Villarrica, it is called "Carnaval Guaireño" or "Caranaval Gua'i" and is attended by about 40,000 spectators and is the second most important carnival in the country after Encarnación. It is celebrated between the first days of February. An anticipation parade is usually held in Asunción to promote and invite tourists from the capital. On January 29, 2016, the First Inclusive Carnival in the Country took place, with the participation of a Comparsa made up of People with Disabilities and Without Disabilities.

Although San Juan Ára (yopará Saint John's Day) is inspired by the European festivals of John the Baptist, it has several local peculiarities. Firstly, the so-called traditional games such as Toro Kandil, paila jeheréi, yvyrasýi, Carrera vosá, pelota tatá, los cambás, among others. Second, about 45 stalls selling typical foods such as kavuré, mbeju, braided chicharó and pastel mandi'o. Finally, the event concludes with the incineration and explosion of a type of doll that they call Judas Kái (yopará burnt Judas) in allusion to Judas Iscariot. The festivities include Paraguayan music and folk dance performances from the municipal dance school and theater by the municipal cast. Since 2023, San Juan de Villarrica has been celebrated on the grounds of the old railway station in the Estación neighborhood of the city.

Its name, which comes from Yopará, means letters of the stone and it is an archaeological site belonging to the Ybytyruzú orographic system located at the eastern end of Villarrica, in the Ytororó company. It was discovered in the 1950s and contains engravings of pre-Columbian origin that were believed to be the result of the presence of Nordic peoples in the Americas. In 2011, Spanish archaeologists from the Altamira Museum discarded the Norse theory and concluded that the oldest of their engravings dates back to more than 5,000 years BC, prior to the settlement of the Ava Guaraní ethnic group in the area, while the most recent ones date back to 2,500 years ago. These engravings represent animal footprints, constellations and references to female fertility.

In Villarrica, similar to the rest of Paraguay and South America, the most popular sport and infrastructure is soccer. The only local soccer club that has played in the First Division of the Paraguayan Soccer Association and even participated in the Copa Sudamericana, has been Guaireña FC. Its official stadium is the Parque del Guairá and has a capacity of 11,000 spectators. Second place could be volleyball.

Basketball is increasingly popular and rugby and motocross are also practiced. There are three motocross circuits in the city, two in the Rincón company and one in Carovení. Boxing spread in the city since 1927 while tennis has been present at least since 1930 when the so-called Lawn Tennis Club was founded. Currently, it continues to be practiced on clay-type courts in the urban area and at the country headquarters of the Porvenir Guaireño Club located in Mbocayaty. Another sport that took root since 1925 was cycling, forming in 1928 the first club of this discipline called El Pedal Guaireño.

Due to the 241 years of Spanish rule from the founding of the city until the independence of Paraguay (1570-1811), Catholicism is the branch of Christianity professed by the vast majority of the Villarrican population. The Franciscans arrived with the first Spaniards in the 16th century and founded a convent in Villarrica (1585) that functioned as a primary and secondary school. The Jesuits also founded Indian reductions but had to migrate further south (Itapúa, Misiones and Argentine Missions) due to attacks by bandeirantes. Since 1929, the diocese of Villarrica del Espíritu Santo has had its headquarters in the city and 7 parishes within the municipality are under its supervision. Among these parishes we can mention the parishes Espírítu Santo (Cathedral), Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Ybaroty), Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Station) and Virgen de Fátima. (Lomas Valentinas) In addition, the diocese also governs the Universidad Católica Campus Guairá. Since 1932, the Salesian congregation has had a presence in the city through the settlement of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. Currently, the Salesians are in charge of religious education in two schools, each with its respective chapel, the Don Bosco and María Auxiliadora chapels.

Since the mid-20th century, various Christian denominations have settled in the city, such as the Bethlehem Pentecostal Church (founded in Villarrica), Baptists, Evangelicals, Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter-day Saints.102

Although the city received Ashkenazi Jews at the end of the 19th century, they never managed to form a community due to mixed marriages with the Catholic majority. As for the Syrian-Lebanese immigrants of that same time, although they spoke Arabic and were born in the Middle East, they were refugees of the Christian religion persecuted by the Ottoman Empire.

Regarding irreligiosity, since its creation in 1811, the Paraguayan State has been secular, which is why openly agnostic and atheist minority groups exist in the city.

Despite being overwhelmingly Catholic influenced Villarrica presents increasing religious diversity. For instance, Villarrica is the seat of Iglesia Belen Pentecostal Libre del Paraguay. Some other religious minorities existent in the city are Baptists, Jehovah's Witnesses and Latter-Day Saints.

Among the Catholic orders the most relevant are the Jesuits, the Franciscans and the Salesians.

• Peace and Good FM 99.9
• Satellite FM 91.3 (with transmission plant in Ñumi)
• Transamérica FM 94.7
• Guairá FM 103.5
• Vision FM 97.5
• Ybytyruzú FM 100.7 (with transmission plant in Mbocayaty)
• Guairá AM 840
• Panambi Vera AM 1260
• Republic FM 101.3
• APG FM 87.5 (Guaira Police Association)

• Channel 8 Vision TV (Channel 39.1 Digital Air)
• Channel 13 Villarrica
• Channel 11 La Tele Villarrica

• E.qui Magazine
• Gaceta Guaireña Newspaper
• Guaira News Magazine

• Gua'i TV
• Guaireña Gazette
• Satellite
• Panambi Verá

One of the most visited places is Ortiz Guerrero Park. The park is located in the Centro neighborhood on Dr Bottrel and Coronel Oviedo streets. There is a walkway around the lagoon and the tomb of the poet Manuel Ortiz Guerrero. It is also a good place to observe and feed animals like capybaras, ducks, mallards, cormorants, geese and an endangered species of rodent called agouti.^[11]

Another interesting spot is Fermin Lopez Museum which is set on a house built in 1842. It keeps personal belongings of Paraguayan War heroes like Fermín López and poet Natalicio Talavera; arms and ammunitions from the Chaco War, a collection of old Paraguayan coins and bills, as well as other artifacts such as indigenous weapons, old furniture, old photographs of the city and pieces of religious art.^[12]

Other suggested activities are to attend St. John´s Eve celebration in June at the Old Railway Station, to go for a walk or cycling at Guaira Park, attend concerts at the Cathedral or hike at the hills in Ytororó hamlet.^[13]

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  Club Porvenir Guaireño (1888)
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  Franciscan Church in Ybaroty neighborhood
• 
  Building of the National Development Bank of Paraguay (BNF) in Villarrica
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  Post Office Building (left)
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  A small hotel in the town center
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  Heroes Square in the Centro neighborhood
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  Downtown Villarrica, Paraguay
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  Saint Claire Cathedral
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  A view of Villarrica
• 
  Random street downtown

• Manuel Ortiz Guerrero Poet
• Natalicio Talavera Romantic and war Poet
• Natalicio Gonzalez - Paraguayan President
• Efraím Cardozo - Educator and historian
• Helio Vera - Author and journalist
• Cayo Sila - Guitar player
• Alfredo Seiferheld - Author and Journalist
• Marcos Zeida - Communist Politician
• Nadia Ferreira - Miss Universe Paraguay 2021, Miss Universe 2021 1st Runner-up.
• Lia Ashmore - Miss Universe Paraguay 2022

Villarrica is twinned with:

• San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina

• Geografía Ilustrada del Paraguay. Tercera Edición. Distribuidora Quevedo de Ediciones. Buenos Aires.1998.
• Atlas y Geografía de Paraguay y el Mundo. Ediciones India Guapa. Asunción. 1997.
• Atlas Paraguay. Cartografía Didáctica. Fausto Cultural Ediciones. Enero 2000.
• Franco Preda, Artemio. El Guairá y su aporte a la cultura paraguaya. Editora Litocolor S.R.L. Villarrica,2003.

• Proyecto Independiente de la Ciudad de Villarrica
• Villarrik.com