Cathedral of Salvador

Standing before the Cathedral Basilica of the Most Holy Savior, we are looking at what the sources call the 'Mother of all Catholic churches in Brazil.' This grand edifice is the seat of the Archbishop Primate of Brazil, making…

The facade of the Cathedral is a triumph of Portuguese Mannerist architecture. The material itself is a piece of history: the 'Lioz' stone was brought as ballast in Portuguese ships, a literal foundation of the mother country…

Entering the nave, the first thing that strikes you is the sheer volume of the space. The ceiling is a grand work of art in itself. …

The Cathedral is famous for its thirteen side altars, each a masterpiece of woodcarving. The sources state that these altars were covered with 'no less than 50,000 leaves of gold and 5,000 leaves of silver.' This 'glitter of the…

The High Altar is the theological climax of the Cathedral. Under the marble slab, an intriguing discovery was made: a staircase leading to an ancient catacomb. …

In one of the side chapels, you will find a particularly fascinating collection: the reliquary busts of the holy virgins and martyrs. These are beautifully carved and painted wooden busts that contain small fragments of bone or…

As we conclude our interior tour, we look at the 'pedra fundamental'—the foundation stone that symbolizes the beginning of the church's construction. This stone is a physical link to the mid-17th century, the starting point of…

As we step back out into the vibrant sunlight of the Terreiro de Jesus, the cool, golden silence of the Cathedral remains with us. We have explored a monument that is the very 'mother' of the Brazilian Church, a Jesuit…