Church of the Third Order of St Francis

Carved limestone facade unique in the Americas

Immediately next to São Francisco church and easily missed because of its more famous neighbour. The Third Order facade is in fact the more unusual of the two: a deeply carved Spanish-colonial-style frontispiece in sandstone, the only one of its kind on a Brazilian church.

Inside, the church is more restrained — cedar pews, blue-and-white tile panels, and a beautiful sacristy with painted ceilings. Cheap entry, very little waiting.

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A story
The carved facade was buried under plaster for nearly two centuries — covered up in the 18th century, when it had fallen out of fashion, and only rediscovered in 1936 when restoration workers chipped through the smooth white wall.