Church and Convent of São Francisco,
Salvador
Mary Chandler
Gabriel Ribeiro. Church and Convent of Saint Francis, 1708-1723, Salvador, Brazil
A competition was held for who would design the church and Gabriel
Ribeiro a native Portuguese man ended up being chosen as the designer.
The church of the Third Order of Saint Francis in
Salvador Brazil is considered a jewel of Brazilian
baroque architecture and one of the few churches to
be built separately out of Franciscan tradition which is
typically very humble and barren in appearance much
like Saint Francis himself.
The building was inaugurated in June of 1703 but
underwent further building and annexing until 1770.
The church is known for its neoclassical elements,
masterful wood carving including candlesticks,
crosses, bouquets and jars. The church is also known
for its azulejo tiles and jacaranda furniture.
Comparison to depictions of St Francis