November 4 marks the birthday of Paraguay’s first constitutional president, Carlos Antonio López Ynsfrán (1792–1862). A transformative leader born 233 years ago today in Asunción. Where his legacy endures in the city’s streets, institutions, and the very foundations of the modern Paraguayan state.
In this article The Asunción Times highlights five enduring landmarks in Paraguay where López’s influence remains vividly present: from grand avenues and historic buildings, to cultural institutions that continue to bear his imprint more than a century and a half after his death. Who was Carlos Antonio López?
Opening Paraguay to the world
Carlos Antonio López served as the nation’s leader from 1841 until his death. After briefly serving as a Joint Consul, he became the first Constitutional President of Paraguay in 1844. He succeeded José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia. López is widely credited with beginning the modernisation of Paraguay and opening it to the world.
López worked to end the country’s profound isolation by establishing diplomatic relations with the United States and European nations. López also negotiated crucial commercial treaties. Domestically, his authoritarian yet progressive government laid the foundation for the Paraguay’s development. López’ administration initiated sweeping reforms that brought technological and social advances to Paraguay. He focused on economic self-sufficiency and modernisation by developing state-owned industries.
After he died in 1862, his son Francisco Solano took over the presidency. A couple of years later, the Triple Alliance War broke out, leading to the family’s downfall. In honour of Carlos Antonio López’s birthday, let us look at landmarks in and outside Asunción, named after him in five categories.
Institutions
In Asunción, a Technical College and Professional Training centre is named after López, located in the Pinozá neighbourhood of Paraguay’s capital. School 434 CAP can be found in Virgen de Fátima, while in downtown Asunción there is a diplomatic institution honouring him. Several scholarships and bursaries are also named in his honour. The Carlos Antonio López Health Centre is situated in Paraguay’s Department of Itapúa, within a city that bears his name.
Money, money, money
Even today, peope in Paraguay can hold López in their hands: the 5,000-Guaraní banknote features his dignified portrait on the front, flanked by the national Coat of Arms and the Treasury emblem. Ensuring that money transactions in the country kees the memory of its first constitutional president in daily circulation.
Club Carlos Antonio López
In the city of Caaguazú, about 180 kilometers east of Asunción, fans can still cheer for López every matchday: Club Carlos Antonio López, a football team founded in 1988 and competing in the regional league, proudly carries his name, keeping his legacy alive on the pitch, and in the hearts of local supporters.
Carlos Antonio López Park
The Carlos Antonio López Park is a well-known urban green space in Asunción. The park is located in the San Antonio neighbourhood, and there is an avenue that separates the park from the connecting neighbourhood named after him.
The location is characterised by paths that wind through thick, lush vegetation, making it a popular retreat from the city centre. The park is a key spot for jogging, cycling, and basketball, offering an excellent environment for exercise and leisure activities. In the park, you can find a Carlos Antonio López mural. The area is generally open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing visitors to enjoy its peaceful atmosphere at any time.
Streets, city, and a neighbourhood
And last, but not least: streets, a city, and a neighbourhood named after Carlos Antonio López. And there is certainly no shortage of those in Paraguay.
In Asunción, there is a street named after him that splits the San Antonio and Carlos Antonio López neighbourhoods. Apart from Paraguay’s capital, many streets in other cities are named after him.
Additionally, as mentioned before, there is a neighbourhood named after the former President. This area borders San Antonio, Sajonia, Tacumbú, and General José Eduvigis Díaz, all parts of the capital. There is also the Carlos Antonio López District, in the Department of Itapúa. Located on Route 7 between Encarnación and Ciudad del Este, the population is unknown.
From banknotes to buildings, López Lives On
From the 5,000-Guaraní note tucked in every wallet to the cheers at Club Carlos Antonio López in Caaguazú, the imprint of Paraguay’s first constitutional president remains woven into the nation’s daily life 233 years after his birth on November 4; proof that Carlos Antonio López Ynsfrán continues to shape the country he helped forge.
