The sloping forecourt in front of the sanctuary church is where Aleijadinho's twelve prophets stand, arranged in pairs along the parapets of the curving double staircase. Up close the figures lose some of the formal severity they have from below: tool-marks are visible in the soapstone, drapery folds catch the light, the carved scrolls bear partial Latin inscriptions.
The terrace is the obvious place to spend the most time on a Congonhas visit. It is open to the sky, with views out over the town, and free to enter. Early morning and late afternoon give the best light for photographs and for sitting on the stone steps to look at the faces, each carved with a distinct character — the brooding Jeremiah, the youthful Daniel, the bearded Isaiah pointing at an invisible audience.