Parque de la Cruz in Santa Ana

The small village of Santa Ana shelters the theme park known as Parque Temático de la Cruz a few kilometers away from the City of Posadas. This is an excellent tourist and religious attraction. The native rainforest, known as selva paranaense, is the hostess on a tour that offers viewpoints, trails, a museum, an auditorium, a butterfly house and an orchid house, among other attractions.

As we reached Santa Ana, the huge cross we had seen from afar led our way into the chamber. We took our time to see every corner of it. We chose to cover most of the circuit on foot and set out at the pedestrian trail that goes up to a higher level. We observed that other people found their way up either on board an open cart or by bike through a side street.

Once on the upper level, we visited an outdoor amphitheater and two theme trails. The first trail, devoted to interpreting nature, gives visitors the chance to identify native species, becoming involved with the humidity and aroma of the various plants and flowers and spot natural springs. The second trail involves a seven-station religious itinerary devoted to prayer and reflection.

We paid a visit to the butterfly house, where we enjoyed and learned about the diet, breeding cycle and different flight styles of the varieties of butterflies found in Misiones. It was incredible to see the diverse shapes, colors and sizes of those ethereal flying insects.

Another splendid site is the orchid house, where species obtained and bred in Misiones are displayed within a neat environment that simulates their natural habitat. In turn, we got some information about how to take care of and grow each orchid type.

The perfect finale for our visit was to see the imposing main building upon which the metallic cross rests. The whole set reaches a height of 82 meters. Featuring an elliptical outdoor shape with ramps, we made our way up and took advantage of the different levels where the vantage points are located to observe the vegetation from above the canopies.

Then we went inside and saw the theater called Teatro de la Selva, where shows with high acoustic quality and cutting-edge lighting are put on. An exhibition gallery and gastronomic venues complete the offer and boast a very modern design.

As regards the ascent of the cross, a system of staircases and a glazed elevator led us to the different balconies, where we caught an astonishing view. The tour ended at the height of the arms of the cross and it is a curious fact that the second stretch should be called Ascensor del Cielo (Heaven's Elevator). That was what we felt: some vertigo and the thrill of perceiving that this giant transparent box was holding us up in the heights.

This novel undertaking has managed such a magnitude that it is considered the tallest monument in the country. It even surpasses the height of the National Flag Memorial in Rosario (70 meters) and that of the Obelisk in Buenos Aires (67 meters).

In spite of the usual fog in the area, this point shows off a 360-degree panoramic view and is appreciated from several locations in the surroundings. At night, the lit-up cross becomes a spectacular visual attraction.

We paid particular attention to the wilderness of the rainforest of Misiones making contrast with this construction, specially thought to provide entertainment and more information about local wildlife.

Parque Temático de la Cruz - Santa Ana
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