Church da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco - Salvador, Brazil
Posted by: 
denben
S 12° 58.462 W 038° 30.529
24L E 553270 N 8565647
Built between the 17th and 18th centuries, the Church of the Third Order of San Francisco has a frontage of sandstone washed and decorated in high relief and it’s the only example in Brazil that refers to the Spanish Baroque.
Waymark Code: WM1A52Y
Location: Bahia, Brazil
Date Posted: 06/21/2024
Views: 0
« The richly decorated plateresque style façade of the church is carved from limestone with sandstone elements. The nave is accessed via a richly decorated central portal with two side doors. A statue of Saint Francis of Assisi is in a niche at the upper center of the complex façade; it is likely of limestone imported from Portugal used in numerous churches in the same period. The uppermost section of the facade has the symbol of the skull, a symbol associated with Saint Francis, which represents death and the fragility of the human life to members of the Franciscan Order. Four figures are located at the level of the niche of Saint Francis. The outer figures are Caryatids, and those closest to the niche, with a naked chest and wings next to the head, are representation of Hermes. Two half figures are located above the niche; they have the upper part of the female body with acanthus leaves below. The female forms, which resemble mermaids, hold a crown with a cartela below inscribed in Latin, Agite panitant ("do penitence"), a reference to Matthew 3:2 or Matthew 4:17.
Electricians carrying out renovations on the church in the 1932 discovered the original Baroque exterior of the church. The Neoclassical façade was removed and the granite Baroque exterior renovated in its present form in 1939. »
Source: Wikipedia (
visit link)