Imagine seven Franciscan friars journeying to Sāo Paulo in 1640. They arrived by caravan and first settled near today’s Praça do Patriarca. But their story truly begins here at the Igreja São Francisco de Assis.
This church stands as a testament to faith and history. It’s a Catholic temple in Sāo Paulo’s historic center. The Franciscan Order, founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1209, owns it. The Igreja São Francisco de Assis sits beside the Igreja de São Francisco das Chagas and the Law School of the University of Sāo Paulo.
Originally this Igreja São Francisco de Assis was next to the Convent of São Francisco and São Domingos. Dom Pedro I ordered the convent to be replaced by the Law School in 1827. On April 23 1982 the Igreja São Francisco de Assis became a protected heritage site.
The Conselho de Defesa do Patrimônio Histórico requested the church’s preservation in 1971. Carlos Lemos, the architect, argued that it deserved protection. Other reconstructed churches had been preserved already. He also noted the church’s importance to old Sāo Paulo. It was considered the only 18th-century architectural example in the city. The nave dated back to the Igreja São Francisco de Assis’s inauguration in 1647.
A survey in 1978 confirmed the Igreja São Francisco de Assis’s excellent condition. Ruy Ohtake approved its preservation in 1981. The official resolution was published in the Diário Oficial on April 23 1982.
The city council donated the land for Largo de São Francisco to the friars in 1642. Historical records state the Igreja São Francisco de Assis was completed by 1643. However the convent was not inaugurated until four years later.
Construction followed monastic building standards. The Ordem Terceira de São Francisco managed the Igreja São Francisco de Assis from 1828 to 1858. Afterward the Irmandade de São Benedito took over. The Franciscans regained control in 1908. The Igreja São Francisco de Assis formed part of Sāo Paulo’s central religious triangle. Carmo and São Bento were also part of it.
Architecturally the Igreja São Francisco de Assis features rammed earth construction. Ironstone is visible in the internal and external arches. Capa e canal tiles adorn the roof. The walls consist of brick masonry. A renovation in 1744 shaped its Baroque style. Before that the church exhibited Jesuit characteristics common in the province. A fire in 1880 destroyed much of the building. Only the walls and the image of Saint Francis of Assisi survived. That image remains here today.
So, as you stand before the Igreja São Francisco de Assis remember its long history. It began with Franciscan friars and continues as a symbol of faith in Sāo Paulo. Take a moment to appreciate the architecture. Think of those who rebuilt it after the fire. Consider its place in the city’s religious past. This church is more than just a building. It is a living piece of Sāo Paulo’s story a story etched in brick and faith.