The famous Igrejinha da Pampulha in Belo Horizonte is also known by other names, such as Igreja de São Francisco de Assis or Capela Curial de São Francisco de Assis.

History and Architecture of the Little Church of Pampulha

Link

Embed

Copy and paste this HTML code into your webpage to embed.

História e Arquitetura da Igrejinha da Pampulha

Little Church of Pampulha or Curial Chapel of St Francis of Assisi

1. History and architecture
2. Religious recognition and use
3. Architectural design
4. Structure and style
5. History and architecture

Although it was not completed until 1943, the church already stands out as a landmark in the history of architecture, art and faith in Brazil. By 1945, the chapel was practically finished, but did not immediately receive approval from the Metropolitan Curia to be consecrated as a religious temple. The ecclesiastical authorities of the time considered that the building, dedicated to St Francis of Assisi, was inappropriate for religious practice.

Nevertheless, after only two years of existence, the church and its works were inscribed in the Fine Arts Book of the National Artistic Heritage Service, an unprecedented event. It was not recognised as a religious space until 1959, during the government of Juscelino Kubitschek, then President of the Republic.

The reasons for the initial refusal of the consecration are not entirely clear. Some authors claim that the architectural form of the building was contrary to ecclesiastical traditions, while others claim that the Via Crucis paintings, frescoes and tiles by Cândido Portinari did not conform to the norms of Catholic iconography, according to a response by the then Archbishop, Dom Antônio dos Santos Cabral:

“Both the supporters of modernism and the defenders of ancient art, of so-called academicism, are right, because everyone is fighting for artistic evolution. But as a temple, it doesn’t look good; we can’t distort the work of the Lord, nor is the church a place for materialistic, albeit artistic, experimentation”.

In this context, there was also a conservative backlash against the whole Pampulha complex: gambling in the casino, swimming suits in the lagoon and the dances promoted by Kubitschek were criticised. The main controversy, however, centred on the church itself. Niemeyer and Portinari’s links to the Communist Party were also questioned. Some newspapers even claimed that the church, reflected in the waters of the lagoon, took on the shape of the sickle and hammer, the symbol of the Soviet flag.

2. Recognition and religious use

Over time, the Church’s perception has changed. The priest now in charge of the chapel emphasises not only the artistic beauty of the works by Portinari and Niemeyer, but also their historical importance. According to him, the wealth of the artist reveals his era.

At present, Sunday Masses have been reintroduced, as well as weddings and baptisms. In October, the parish priest also organises the Circuito da Arte pela Fé in honour of the patron saint, promoting celebrations, exhibitions, cultural presentations and the blessing of animals, as a way of combining the architectural, cultural and tourist value of the Igrejin with the spirituality and faith of the Church.

Visits to the Igrejinha da Pampulha bring together the faithful and tourists alike. While some pray, others don’t even recognise the religious character of the place.

3. Architectural design

The Igrejinha da Pampulha was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and commissioned by Juscelino Kubitschek, then mayor of Minas Gerais. It represented a significant architectural innovation, using reinforced concrete in a plastic way, one of Niemeyer’s trademarks.

For many years the temple was criticised for its unconventional form. However, it is now considered an architectural jewel in the context of Minas Gerais.

Inside, the chapel houses the Stations of the Cross, made up of fourteen panels by Cândido Portinari, an internationally renowned artist, representative of Brazilian Modernism, awarded and recognised for his work in various fields, such as painting, illustration, engraving and teaching.

The surrounding landscaping was designed by Roberto Burle Marx, a world-renowned Brazilian landscape architect. The bronze bas-reliefs were made by Alfredo Ceschiatti in 1944, his first collaboration with Niemeyer.

In addition to its artistic value, the little church is one of the most important symbols of Minas Gerais’ religiosity and one of the main postcards of Belo Horizonte, part of the Pampulha Architectural Complex, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In October 2021, the chapel will be elevated to the category of São Francisco de Assis Archdiocesan Shrine.

4. Structure and style

Structurally, the church does not have the concrete slabs supported by columns typical of conventional religious architecture. Instead, it uses the curves, oblique lines and elegant asymmetry characteristic of Niemeyer’s creative freedom.

The structure is made up of reinforced concrete arches and vaults, previously used only in engineering works such as the hangars at Orly Airport in Paris. The larger vaults form the ceiling of the nave and the altar, while the smaller ones at the back are used as supports.

Also noteworthy are the bell tower and the entrance marquee, rectilinear elements that, although independent, maintain a visual link with the whole. The exterior is decorated with curved panels of blue and white tiles by Paulo Werneck, an artist known for his work in music since the 1940s.

On the back wall, facing the street, is a Mural of St Francis, made of white and blue tiles, also by Portinari. The artist also made sidewalls with natural motifs, depicting fish and birds, and covered the curved pulpit.

Inside, Portinari’s Stations of the Cross is considered by experts to be one of his most important works, translating a classical theme into modern language, which the artist did masterfully. In the Baptistery, the bas-reliefs by Alfredo Ceschiatti represent the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise, also in bronze, and form an expressive collection of Brazilian modernist culture.

Despite the modernist style, the church retains the traditional structure of religious temples, including the altar, choir, pulpit, sacristy and bell tower.

This post is also on: