Santo Antônio Convent and São Francisco da Penitência

On top of Santo Antônio Hill, above the bustle of Largo da Carioca, stands one of Rio’s oldest and richest religious complexes: the Franciscan Convent of Santo Antônio and, beside it, the Church of the Third Order of São Francisco da Penitência.

Construction of the convent began in 1608, making it one of the oldest buildings in the city. For centuries its silhouette on the hilltop dominated the Downtown skyline — and it is still there, now surrounded by modern towers, a preserved piece of colonial Rio.

The Church of São Francisco da Penitência is one of the masterpieces of Brazilian Baroque. Its interior is entirely lined with gilded carving, made in the 18th century by the carvers Manuel and Francisco Xavier de Brito. The nave ceiling, painted by Caetano da Costa Coelho in the 1730s and 1740s, is considered the first illusionistic perspective ceiling painting in Brazil.

Looking up, the ceiling painting creates the illusion of architecture opening onto the sky. The complex also has a sacred art museum with old religious images and objects, and the contrast between the silence inside and the rush of Largo da Carioca below is striking.

Beyond the gold of São Francisco, the highlight is the devotion to St Anthony. On June 13 the convent draws crowds: the faithful climb the hill to collect blessed bread and make requests to the matchmaker saint. According to popular tradition, those who keep the little loaf at home will never go without.