Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mosteiro de São Bento
The Benedictines, the first religious order to firmly establish itself in Brazil,
founded this magnificent hilltop monastery and church in 1590, just to the
north of the city center. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Montserrat,
one of the black Madonnas of Europe, and boasts richly decorated interiors
that date from the 18th century - the formative years of Brazilian Baroque.
The elaborate interior of the church took almost 70 years to complete and
was the life work of a series of artists, notably the Benedictine monk
Frei Domingos da Conceição (1643-1718).
Top 10 Features
1 Façade
2 Gilt Ornamentation
3 Baroque Doors
4 Statue of St. Benedict
5 Statue of St. Scholastica
6 Statue of Our Lady
of Montserrat
7 The Blessed Sacrament Chapel
8 Paintings by Frei
Ricardo Pilar
9 Candelabras
0 The Library
Gilt ornamentation
Photography of any
kind is not permitted
in the church.
There are no drinks
available at the
monastery, so be
sure to carry water.
!
Façade
The unadorned, sober
façade
of the
monastery
(center),
with its white-
washed plaster, raw stone
masonry, and squat geo-
metrical towers contrasts
starkly with the gilded
opulence within.
@
Gilt Ornamentation
• Map W1
• Rua Dom Gerardo
68, Centro (entrance
by elevator at No. 40)
• (021) 2291 7122
• Open 7am-5:30pm
daily
• www.osb.org.br
The Brazilian Baroque
interior of the church is
considered the most
ornate in Rio de Janeiro,
with almost every square
inch richly decorated with
gold leaf.
£
Baroque Doors
The elaborately carved
Baroque doors
(left)
that
provide access to the nave
are considered to be
the work of Frei Domingos
da Conceição. They are
thought to have been
carved in the period
between 1699 and the
monk's death in 1718.
14
The church underwent several restorations in the 18th, 19th,
and 20th centuries.
