CONVENTO DE SANTO ANTÔNIO
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Convent featuring an amurada inspired by the Portuguese victory over French invaders, according to legend
The Convento de Santo Antonio appears as an island from the colonial past in the postmodern business centre of Rio de Janeiro. Standing proudly on the morro de Santo Antônio, in the heart of Rio, the church and convent of Santo Antônio stand out amidst the towers and concrete and present a remarkable colonial-style architectural ensemble. From the top of the morro, one can enjoy a superb view of Rio's commercial center and its swarm of executives, employees and street vendors. One can thus imagine the weight of the Catholic Church during the colonization of the "land of the True Cross" and that of the religious brotherhoods.
The first Franciscan friars chose this site, already called Outeiro do Carmo, because of the brotherhood of Santo Antônio that was located there. The first convent was built between 1608 and 1616. Later, between 1617 and 1620, the work on the church was completed. The church had three arcades on its façade and three altars. The interior of the church is in Baroque style, but the façade was remodelled in colonial style. Its architectural structure is simple: a nave without side chapels, in the purest Franciscan style. Legend has it that the image on the convent's amurada was inspired by the Portuguese victory over the French invaders, the first colonizers of the region. Lifts allow access to the place for people with reduced mobility.
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