Candelária church

The Candelária Church, in Rio de Janeiro

The Candelária Church is a fine baroque church of Rio, born from a legend of sailors saved from a shipwreck. The Rio de Janeiro audio-guided tour stops here, with respect, to evoke this major sanctuary of the centre, a witness of the devotion and the history of the town.

The church born from a legend of sailors

You are facing the fine baroque Candelária Church, whose history begins with a legend. In the seventeenth century, a ship named Candelária suffered a violent storm at sea and narrowly avoided the shipwreck. Arrived safe and sound in Rio, the sailors, in thanks for their salvation, had a small chapel built on this place dedicated to Our Lady, under the name of Candelária. Over the centuries, as Rio grew and prospered, this modest chapel was replaced by a vast and sumptuous church, built and embellished from the eighteenth to the nineteenth century. The building impresses by its dimensions, its adorned baroque façade and its great dome, one of the most beautiful of the town. Inside, the church reveals a decor of great richness: polychrome marbles, sculptures, bronzes, paintings and magnificent bronze doors adorned with bas-reliefs telling its history. The Candelária is one of the most important and most loved churches of Rio. A baroque sanctuary and a witness of the devotion, the Candelária Church is discovered with respect.

What to see

You admire, with respect, the vast baroque church born from a legend, when in the seventeenth century the sailors of a ship named Candelária, saved from a shipwreck, had a chapel built in thanks, replaced over the centuries by this sumptuous building with an adorned façade, a great dome and a rich decor of marbles, bronzes and magnificent sculpted doors. The Candelária Church is a major sanctuary of Rio. It is a stop to be discovered with respect.

Practical information

The Candelária Church lies in the centre of Rio de Janeiro, reachable on foot and by metro. A place of worship, it can be visited with respect for services; entry is generally free, but hours vary. It is best to check them before coming and to respect the sacred character of the place.

Where does the name of the Candelária Church come from in Rio de Janeiro?

From a legend: in the seventeenth century, the sailors of a ship named Candelária, saved from a shipwreck after a violent storm, had a chapel built on this place in thanks, dedicated to Our Lady; this modest chapel was replaced over the centuries by the current vast baroque church, with the great dome.

Where is the Candelária Church in Rio de Janeiro?

In the centre of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil.