The main parish church of Ribeira Grande sits at the head of a long flight of basalt steps rising from the riverside square — a deliberate piece of theatre that makes the eighteenth-century baroque facade feel grander than the building actually is. The twin bell towers, sun-bleached white walls trimmed with dark volcanic stone, and the carved doorway are the standard Azorean church palette done unusually well.
Inside, the church holds a handful of gilded altarpieces and azulejo tile panels. The interior is often closed outside Mass times, but the climb up the steps is worth doing for the view back down across the river and the town's red roofs.