This sea-facing church erected in the 1700s has an austere exterior and a richly decorated interior. It’s also the host of a lively annual festival.
Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Praia Basilica (Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Praia) is an attractive religious monument located in the heart of Salvador’s city center. Visit the church to admire its imposing façade and opulent décor. Mingle with devotees during a celebration of the city’s patron saint, Our Lady of Conceição da Praia. Inaugurated in 1765, Nossa Senhora da Conceição da Praia Basilica stands on the site of a chapel erected in 1549.
The church displays a predominance of the neoclassical architectural style. Its limestone bricks were fabricated in Portugal and attributed numbers before being transported to Salvador. Pay attention to the variety of window designs, with those on the upper level fronted by small balconies. On either side of the main entrance are square-shaped bell towers set at contrasting angles to the remainder of the façade.
Note the name of the church embedded into the stone pavement and then enter via the grand staircase. Find a vast nave surrounded by a series of lateral chapels and ornamented in the Baroque style. One of the most impressive aspects is the illusionist painting above the nave by José Joaquim da Rocha. Look for a section of the church that preserves the remains of the original 16th-century chapel.
An interesting time to visit the church is on Dec. 8, for the Festival of Our Lady of Conceição da Praia. Join thousands of pilgrims and followers of the Candomblé religion for an open-air mass and procession. During the celebration a market with food stands sets up outside nearby Mercado ModeloOpens in a new window.
The church is also the starting point for the parade that signals the beginning of January’s Festival of Bonfim. The parade continues for around 5 miles (8 kilometers) to the Church of Nosso Senhor do BonfimOpens in a new window, where it continues for 10 days.
Nossa Senhora de Conceição da Praia is open daily. It’s about a 20-minute walk from PelourinhoOpens in a new window. Also nearby is Terreiro de JesusOpens in a new window, a square lined with ancient monuments such as the Cathedral of SalvadorOpens in a new window.
