Historic Churches in Pelourinho
pelourinho-bonfim, salvadorCatedral Basilica de São Salvador
As you walk into the main praça of Pelourinho, called the Terreiro de Jesus, the Catedral Basilica will be on your left. You can’t miss it; it’s the largest and most impressive church in the praça, built in the early 1600s, not long after the founding of Salvador. Much of the original construction was lost to fire in the early 1900s, but the church was rebuilt and stands as an example of baroque architecture and sacred art in South America. The church was originally built as a Jesuit school (until the Jesuits were ousted in the mid 1600s) and above the entrance doors are carvings of three Jesuit saints. Inside, you can look down to see the marble floors, or up to see the beautifully painted and carved ceiling. Side altars are loaded with gold-covered wooden sculpture and hand-painted ornamentation, and represent a mixture of styles, from Baroque to Neo-Classic.
The highlight is the front altar with a hand-carved arch and many wood carvings. In the back of the church is a collection of religious paintings and Portuguese tiles. With its two towers, marble floors, tropical wood, gold leafing and paintings, the Catedral Basilica is considered one of the country’s most beautiful churches. It is often used by Brazil’s rich and famous for wedding ceremonies. Cost of entry is R$1. Open 9–11am and 2–5pm daily. You can attend mass on Sundays at 10:30am with Baroque music presentations.
Igreja de São Pedro dos Clerigos
Not necessarily one of the most exciting churches in the Centro Histórico, São Pedro is worth peeking into as you walk across the praça Terreiro de Jesus. It’s one of the few churches in the Rococo style. Open 1–5pm Monday–Friday.
Igreja e Convento de São Francisco
Considered the richest church in Brazil, the Igreja São Francisco (also known as the Gold Church) is drenched in gold leaf, hundreds of kilos of it. The many wood sculptures on the altars representing cherubs, angels, saints, flora and fauna are all draped in gold and surrounded with detailed ornamentation in gold and white. The simple gold-and-white motif is offset by the dark Jacarandá wood used in the hand railings and altar pews and a few simple blue Portuguese tiles above the altars. The ceiling and entrance are covered in Baroque paintings. The church was finished in 1723 and has a rather humble outer façade, hiding the incredible riches within. The adjoining convent has an entrance hallway covered in blue Portuguese tiles from the 1500s, and the theme continues to the outer patio area. It’s open from 8:30am–5pm Monday–Saturday.
Igreja da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco
This church has the date 1703 carved into the façade, which is the only church in Pelourinho with hand carved stone in the front. The ceilings are beautifully painted with several interlocked panels and the altars are filled with typical Baroque carvings covered in gold. Upstairs is a museum with numerous paintings (check out the gold-leafed frames) and an enormous banquet table for thirty. Located at Rua Inacio Acccioli next to the São Francisco Convent. Entrance fee is R$3. Open 8am–5pm Monday–Friday and 7am–noon on Sunday.
Igreja Nossa Sra. do Rosário
At the bottom of the hill, on the far end of Pelourinho sits the Igreja do Rosário, built in the 1700s by free slaves. Like most churches of the brotherhood of Rosário (brotherhood of black slaves), this church is on the outskirts of town and uses a mixture of themes, both African and Catholic. The façade is a mixture of Baroque and Rococo architecture with Indian influences in the spires. It’s open from 7:30am–6pm Monday–Friday and 7:30am–noon on weekends. At the time of this writing, this church was closed for restorations, which have been known to take years to complete in Pelourinho.
Igreja Nossa Sra. da Misericordia (Santa Casa)
Flanking the Monument to the Fallen Cross on Rua Chile is the Santa Casa de Misericordia, a 17th century construction with 18th century reforms. The house contains a collection of sacred art, sculpture, colonial furniture and artifacts from the colonial period. Even if you’re not up for checking out more religious art and sculpture (you might want to save your stamina for the Sacred Art Museum and principal churches), it’s worth at least stepping into the entry hall to check out the interior of the building. Open 8am–5pm Monday–Friday.
On Sunday at 10am you can hear the Gregorian Chants at the Monastery of São Bento, one of the most impressive Baroque churches in the country. Built in 1663, the monastery contains detailing and sculptures with a mixture of dark Jacarandá wood and gold leaf. Most impressive is the front altar and large paintings along the side altars. The pipe organ is a mixture the original from 1773 and a new organ from 1945. It’s located on Rua D. Gerardo 40 and is open from 7–11am and 2–6pm Monday–Saturday and from 8:15am on Sundays.
