One of the finest baroque churches in Brazil, and reason enough to spend an hour in the old centre. The interior is richly gilded, but it's the ceiling that stops people — a trompe-l'œil perspective panel said to be among the largest of its kind in the world. The complex also includes a convent and a courtyard with Portuguese azulejo tiles.
The church is part of a larger complex that includes the Convent of Saint Anthony (Convento de Santo Antônio), one of the oldest in Paraíba state. The azulejo tile panels in the cloister courtyard are among the most impressive examples of Portuguese tile work in northeast Brazil — 37 large panels depicting biblical and allegorical scenes, brought from Lisbon in the eighteenth century. The complex is easily the standout sight of the historic centre.