This exquisite 1774 baroque church, fronted by a palm-shaded, lyre-shaped plaza, is home to two Aleijadinho sculptures (second altar to the left) and one of Minas' finest facades, based on Aleijadinho’s design. Out back, arrows lead to politician Tancredo Neves' grave, a pilgrimage site for Brazilians. The local Ribeiro Bastos orchestra and choir perform sacred baroque music at 9:15am Sunday.
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis
Top choice in Minas Gerais
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
9.42 MILES
If you've ever wondered how cachaça (Brazil's famous sugarcane alcohol) is made, this is a perfect place to learn. This small-scale alambique (distillery)…
Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio
5.62 MILES
Named for Tiradentes' patron saint, this gorgeous church is one of Aleijadinho's last designs. The dazzling gold interior is rich in Old Testament…
5.76 MILES
This innovative museum in Tiradentes' former town jail was conceived by Belo Horizonte–based Angela Gutierrez, creator of Ouro Prêto’s Museu do Oratório…
0.41 MILES
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5.73 MILES
This beautiful stone church, with its many images of black saints, was built in 1708, by and for slaves. Since they had no free time during daylight hours…
0.28 MILES
Begun in 1721, São João's cathedral has exuberant gold altars and fine Portuguese tiles. Two of the city's famous orchestras can be heard here at the 7pm…
0.38 MILES
This 18th-century church, dominating a lovely triangular praça (plaza), was designed by Aleijadinho, who also did the frontispiece and the sculpture…
Nearby Minas Gerais attractions
1. Museu Regional São João del Rei
0.21 MILES
One of the best regional museums in Minas Gerais, this 19th-century colonial mansion houses three floors of antique furniture, sacred art and assorted…
0.24 MILES
This simple church was built in 1719 to honor the patron saint who was protector of the slaves.
0.26 MILES
In a building that served as the public jail between 1737 and 1850, this museum has a small but impressive collection of art from the city’s churches.
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This 18th-century church, dominating a lovely triangular praça (plaza), was designed by Aleijadinho, who also did the frontispiece and the sculpture…
0.41 MILES
The history of the Maria-Fumaça, one of Brazil's first rail lines, is on display at the Museu Ferroviário inside São João's train station. The museum's…
7. Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio
5.62 MILES
Named for Tiradentes' patron saint, this gorgeous church is one of Aleijadinho's last designs. The dazzling gold interior is rich in Old Testament…
5.69 MILES
Spanning three centuries, this museum's collection includes vestments, ex votos and hundreds of other historical liturgical objects from Tiradentes'…