Things to see and do Olinda

Only a few kilometres from the other great historical city of Pernambuco, Recife, the beautiful Olinda is itself covered with a white coat of churches. The wealth of temporal power often contributed to the wealth of temporal power, through the construction of those remarkable temples of faith that are the baroque churches and cathedrals. The cathedral of Olinda ("igreja da Sé", for "sede episcopal", or bishop's seat, ex-catedra) is a pearl of religious baroque. It is the seat of the Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife. The cathedral of Olinda - called Catedral de São Salvador do Mundo - which dominates the Alto do Sé square, was originally a simple chapel that was replaced in 1584 by a solid building with several secondary chapels, on the initiative of Antonio Barreiro, the third bishop of Brazil. Raised to the status of a cathedral in 1676, at the time of the creation of the diocese, and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, the cathedral, sober and in typical Portuguese colonial style, is today an emblematic architectural element of Olinda's old centre. In addition to admiring some beautiful murals and altars decorated with gold leaf, you can enjoy a fantastic view of Olinda and Recife in the distance, surrounded by lush vegetation. The Sé church is also the Sé square, one of the city's postcards and perhaps one of the most famous views in the Nordeste and in Brazil as a whole.

The city of Recife has long been the great competitor of the other great city of the Nordeste: Salvador de Bahia. If the history of Brazil is relatively recent from that of the old world or South and East Asia, it is no less rich. Intense activity has animated the quays of the ports of these cities. The opulence of the religious buildings was often the expression of the material wealth of the societies. The Basilica and Monastery of São Bento represent an important Baroque architectural complex classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The foundation of the monastery dates back to the early days of Portuguese colonization: its first version was completed in 1599, before being destroyed by fire during the Dutch invasion in 1631. It was rebuilt and put back into use in 1656, and later enlarged, and the first stones of the church of São Bento (dedicated to St Benedict) were laid in 1660 (it was not completed until 1761). The sacristy of the latter is one of the most richly decorated in Olinda: furniture carved in cedar, crystal mirrors and painted panels lining the walls, a painted ceiling recounting the life of St Benedict (work of Eloy José da Conceição of 1785), an altarpiece framed in gold, and a panel depicting Our Lady of Sorrows. In 1998, the church of the Monastery of St. Benedict was elevated to the status of Basilica by Pope John Paul II.

The market was built at the end of the 17th century and restored according to the original plans. Handicrafts, wood carvers' workshops, engravings, paintings. After the fire that destroyed Marim dos Caetés in 1601, the city began to be rebuilt by the Rua de São Bento, with the Palace of the Governors, then came the House of the Chamber and the prison, which were one above the other, and in front of them the public market. The market is U-shaped and has typical characteristics of buildings from the colonial period,

Beaches are not Olinda's strong point. There are, however, a few urban beaches, such as Plage do Farol and Plage de Casa Caiada, both of which are frequented by locals and tourists alike... Heading north, you'll find a succession of not-so-clean beaches framed by drab buildings: Rio Doce (6 km), Janga (8 km), Praia do Ó (12 km), Praia do Pau Amarelo (14 km), Praia da Conceição (17 km), Praia da Maria Farinha (23 km). Buses leave from Praça do Carmo and run every 30 minutes from 8am to 7pm. Beware of sharks.

The original building of this church dedicated to St John the Baptist dates from the second half of the 16th century, built in the Mannerist style. After a period of neglect, it underwent a major restoration campaign at the beginning of the 18th century, when its façade was embellished with Baroque elements, but the church was destroyed by fire in 1773. It fell into disrepair again in the 1990s, and a lack of funds prevented it from being renovated as it should have been.

The first church of the Carmelite Order in all the Americas, the first stones of the Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Carmo were laid in 1580. When the city was destroyed by the Dutch in 1631, the church and convent suffered severe damage. In 1654, reconstruction work began. The place was abandoned in 1820. It was not until 1897 that a new restoration was undertaken, allowing the building to regain its splendour, displaying an architecture with Mannerist influences combined with Baroque elements.

Located on the Largo do Amparo, in the upper town of Olinda, the church of the same name was erected in 1613 and rebuilt in 1644, after being partially destroyed by the Dutch. Work continued until the end of the 18th century, giving the building its current Baroque configuration. However, the church was never completed in its entirety: there is only one aisle to the side of the nave. The beautiful gilded carvings on its altars are worth seeing.

The Church of Our Lady of the Conception, dating from the 16th century and located near the Largo da Misericórdia, was redesigned by the architect Fernandes Vieria as a shelter for abandoned women. Its façade features a cross surrounded by obelisks. The arcaded portico in the Franciscan style is quite remarkable. The interior has a beautifully painted ceiling from the second half of the 18th century, as well as figurative tile panels.

The Museum of Sacred Art of Pernambuco (MASPE) was inaugurated in 1977, in the former Episcopal Palace of Olinda, which was also used as a military barracks during the Second World War. The museum's collection consists of sacred art donated by the Archdiocese of Olinda and Recife: polychrome and gilded images from the 16th century, paintings and popular sacred art, as well as a wide range of church objects. A must-see for lovers of sacred art.

The church of Our Lady of Grace is one of the first churches in Brazil: in 1551 it was a simple chapel that was given to the Jesuits. About fifteen years later, Father Antônio Pires had a stone building erected, and between 1584 and 1592, the small church was enlarged by the priest Luiz Grã, with the addition of the nave, the façade and the roof. The church is very sober and has beautiful side chapels decorated with altars.

The construction of the convent began in 1585. Partially destroyed by the Dutch in 1631, it was rebuilt during the 17th century. The architectural ensemble, today classified as a World Heritage Site by Unesco, is particularly remarkable for its cloister and sacristy covered with Portugueseazulejos representing various scenes, but also for the impressive sculptures that adorn the ceilings of the church, the sacristy and the chapel.