Igarassu is a historic city in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. It is one of the oldest cities in the country, founded in 1535. The city is known for its rich cultural heritage and colonial architecture, especially its historic churches.

The city of Igarassu is located in the state of Pernambuco, 27 kilometres from Recife, the state capital, and close to João Pessoa, the capital of Paraíba, which is only 90 kilometres away.

Located on the north coast of the state, Igarassu is part of the Recife metropolitan region and is easily accessible by public transport or car.

Igarassu Highlights

• Historical Importance: Igarassu played an important role during Brazil’s early colonial period. The city is home to some of the oldest churches in the country, such as the Church of São Cosme e Damião, built in 1535, which is considered to be the oldest continuously operating church in Brazil.
• Architecture: The city has a variety of colonial buildings, including churches, chapels and houses, reflecting different periods of its history.
• Tourism: Igarassu is a popular destination for those interested in history and culture. The town holds various festivals and religious celebrations that attract visitors from all over the world.
• Location: Located near the coast, Igarassu is part of the Recife Metropolitan Region, making it easily accessible for tourists visiting the capital of Pernambuco.
• Natural Beauty: In addition to its historical sites, Igarassu is close to beautiful beaches and nature reserves, offering opportunities for ecotourism.

The combination of history, culture and natural beauty makes Igarassu a unique and important place in Brazil.

Videos – Tourist Attractions in Igarassu

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Museu de história de Igarassu PE

Points of interest in Igarassu, Pernambuco

Historic churches and buildings that tell us a lot about Brazil.

1. Historic Centre of Igarassu
2. Church of Saints Cosme and Damian
3. Monastery of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
4. Igarassu Franciscan Monastery and Picture Gallery Museum
5. Emperor’s Villa
6. Igarassu Town Hall
7. Igarassu Historical Museum

1. Historic Centre of Igarassu

You can visit the oldest church in Brazil, a museum full of impressive pieces that reveal details of history and a beautiful art gallery.

Take a leisurely stroll through the streets full of colourful colonial houses that will take you back in time.

Don’t miss the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Livramento, the Art Centre and the Chapel of São Sebastião.

2. Church of Saints Cosme and Damião

A must-see attraction in Igarassu, the Church of Saints Cosme and Damião is the oldest functioning church in Brazil. It was built shortly after the Portuguese invaded and defeated the Indians living in the region in 1535.

It was rebuilt years later, as it was originally built as a small chapel with one door. Over the years it has undergone major renovations and some of its features have changed, but it has never ceased to honour the saints.

3. Convent of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

This was the first convent of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Brazil, and for this reason it was very important at the time, receiving novices in 1742. Years later, the chapel was built in the space we see today, with its baroque style, full of windows and unique decoration.

4. Franciscan Monastery and Igarassu Art Museum

This sacred space is the Franciscan Monastery and Church of Santo Antônio, but it also houses the Igarassu Art Museum.

From the moment you enter, you can see the beautiful and impressive details that make up this sacred and historic space. It was the third Franciscan monastery in Brazil and the first to be dedicated to Saint Anthony, making it another of Igarassu’s landmarks.

The Pinacoteca Museum is one of the most important in Latin America. Here you’ll find an exhibition of 24 panels from the 17th and 18th centuries, although it’s not known exactly who made them. In any case, it’s worth a visit, as the works are beautiful.

5. Sobrado do Imperador

Built between the 17th and 18th centuries, it is one of the most remarkable buildings in the city’s historic centre. The Sobrado was built with funds from the meat tax in what was then the settlement of Igarassu.

Its initial uses were varied, but converged on housing institutions of official power, such as a home for the elderly, a prison and a town hall.

In 1972, the Igarassu architectural and landscape complex was included in the Institute’s Book of Archaeological, Ethnographic and Landscape Tombs.

In the 19th century, the building underwent intense transformations.

The building was adorned with neoclassical ornamentation, a style that arrived in Brazil in 1816 under the influence of the French Mission and remained dominant throughout the century.

Despite the changes, the essence of the 17th century architecture was preserved. These characteristics can be seen in the spaces, which are permeated by the play of full and empty spaces, and in the conformation of the elements in the stonework, which is made up of blocks of rough rock carved into geometric solids.

The name Sobrado do Imperador refers to the visit of Dom Pedro II, who came here on 5 December 1859 during a tour of the northeast.

This event helped to consolidate the stories that the building was built in the 19th century, which is not historically accurate. The building was only ready to receive the monarch that year.

6. Igarassu Town Council

This is one of the first tourist attractions in Igarassu for those arriving by car and travelling to the historic town. The building is colonial in style and in excellent condition, but you can only see the outside as it is currently home to the Igarassu Town Council.

This is one of the first tourist attractions in Igarassu for those arriving by car and travelling to the historic town. The colonial-style building is in excellent condition, but only the exterior can be visited, as it is currently home to Igarassu’s Chamber of Councillors.

The site was the former town hall and public prison of Igarassu and is one of the most important buildings. It was the second largest prison in the state, after Recife Prison, and is now the Cultural Centre in the centre of Recife.

In front of it is a replica of the stone marker that separated the captaincies of Pernambuco and Itamaracá. For those curious to see the marker, there is a replica in the original location of the border at Sítio dos Marcos. If you visit Recife, go to the Municipal Museum to see the original stone marker.

7. Igarassu Historical Museum

The Igarassu Museum is a treasure trove of information on Brazilian history in general. The museum is housed in colonial houses that have been renovated and connected to provide more space for the exhibitions, located in the historic centre of Igarassu, next to the Church of Saints Cosme and Damião and opposite the Town Hall.

There are many objects from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries that tell of the life of the slaves and the churches. There are also several documents and paintings by the Dutch painter Frans Post, as well as paintings by local artists and one of the doors of the Misericórdia church, which weighs half a ton.

History of Igarassu PE

The place where Igarassu was born was inhabited by Caeté Indians.

The construction of its first church is attributed to the Portuguese victory in 1530 over the Potiguara Indians and the French who were there.

However, in 1535, Duarte Coelho, grantee of the Captaincy of Pernambuco, landed there to take possession of his lands donated by the Portuguese Crown and fought a fierce battle with the Indians.

By order of the grantor, a stone marker was placed on the site, which served as the dividing point between the captaincies of Pernambuco and Itamaracá, thus beginning the process of colonisation in Brazil.

Igarassu, whose name means “big canoe”, was founded in 1536 by Duarte Coelho and probably became a parish in 1550.

It was the second town founded in the colony, after Vila de São Vicente, and the first region to be settled in Pernambuco.

It became an autonomous municipality in 1893 and soon after, in 1895, it was elevated to the category of city.

The southern bar of the Santa Cruz Canal, originally known as the Igarassu River – later Porto de Pernambuco and Sítio dos Marcos – is one of the most important centres of Portuguese occupation on the northeast coast.

The city’s past is marked by its participation in liberation struggles, such as the Praieira Revolution, when the troops of Colonel Manoel Pereira de Morais settled in the Santo Antônio Monastery (built in 1588 by Franciscan priests).

Today, the site is home to the Igarassu Art Museum, which houses one of the most representative collections of Brazilian colonial art. Igarassu became an autonomous municipality in 1893 and a city in 1895.

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