history and architecture

The current church, built by the Jesuits between 1652 and 1672, was the fourth temple of the order in the capital of Bahia and is the last remaining part of the Colégio de Jesus complex. Attributed to Brother Francisco Dias, the work follows the norms of the Council of Trent and features Renaissance and Baroque elements.

• Main construction period: 1657–1672. The frontispiece and towers were completed in 1694.
• The façade is made of Lioz stone, which was imported from Portugal. It features niches dedicated to Jesuit saints.
• It has a single-nave layout with side chapels, various altars and gilded wood carvings, as well as lioz marble cladding.

Transformation and protection

Following the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1759, the building was converted into a military hospital and became home to Brazil’s first School of Medicine in 1833. In 1938, the church was listed by IPHAN and its collection was also protected.

Video: The history and colonial architecture of the Cathedral Basilica of Salvador.

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Historia de la Catedral Basílica de Salvador

Also see all the churches in Salvador, Bahia.

The main elements and collection of the Cathedral Basilica of Salvador.

1. Altar Mother

Dating from 1665–1670 and created by Brother João Correia and his assistants, it is one of the few Mannerist carvings in Brazil and is richly gilded. In 1670, an upper dressing room was opened featuring panels depicting Saint Ignatius and Saint Francis Xavier, painted by Domingos Rodrigues.

2. Teto da nave

It is decorated with carved Jesuit symbols. In the centre is a large, radiant medallion bearing the monogram IHS (Iesus Hominum Salvator).

3. Side altars

Even though the background has been altered, the chapel to the right of the high altar (now Nossa Senhora das Dores) still has its carvings and statues.

To the left is the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, which contains artefacts from the old cathedral, including a diamond-encrusted reliquary, credence tables, and silver palms. The chapels in the transept contain monumental Baroque altars (1754) dedicated to St Francis Xavier and St Ignatius.

4. Reliquary Busts

Each of the two altars displays fifteen niches containing reliquary busts — 17^(th)-century terracotta pieces representing martyrs — which have been returned to the temple after a period in the Museum of Sacred Art of Bahia.

5. Sacristy and baptistery.

The baptistery contains a basin that has been carved from a single block of Lioz stone.

The spacious sacristy contains three Baroque altars made from multicoloured Italian marble, as well as statues, large paintings and a rosewood chest with ivory and tortoiseshell inlays. This chest was carved by Luís Manuel de Matosinhos and Cristóvão de Aguiar.

The furniture is adorned with paintings by Gherardo delle Notti, and the coffered ceiling features Jesuit martyrs and apostles. Portuguese tiles cover the walls halfway up.

6. Interior details

The cathedral houses paintings attributed to Jesuits, such as Domingos Rodrigues, as well as Baroque sculptures and relics. These include a silver-coated reliquary bust of Saint Ignatius, a silver image of Our Lady of Marvels and busts of Saint Ursula and other saints.

Over time, various items have been transferred to the Museum of Sacred Art.