Imagine friars arriving in Sāo Paulo around 1640. They sought a place to establish their order. These friars were from the Franciscan Order. They first stayed at the Church of Saint Anthony. But they soon found it unsuitable.
The City Council granted them land in 1642. This land was on the edge of the town’s hill. Here, they began constructing their convent. The Igreja São Franciso de Assis started its story here.
The convent was inaugurated in 1647. The Igreja São Franciso de Assis was part of this complex. Over time, the church underwent significant changes.
In the mid-18th century, the church embraced the Baroque style. It gained a single nave. Two Baroque carved altarpieces adorned the transept. The rosewood choir stalls became noteworthy. The Igreja São Franciso de Assis transformed into a Baroque masterpiece.
A fire severely damaged the church and convent in the late 19th century. A new altarpiece from Germany was installed. Paintings on the life of St Francis were reworked in 1953. These replaced those destroyed in the 1880 fire. The Igreja São Franciso de Assis rose from the ashes.
In 1676, the Secular Franciscan Order started building a chapel. This chapel was within the Franciscan church. By 1787, it became an independent temple. Its facade was attached to the convent church. The Igreja São Franciso de Assis expanded its spiritual presence.
The Franciscans left the convent in the 1820s. The imperial government needed the building. It was to house the Academy of Social and Legal Sciences. This later became the Law School of the University of São Paulo. In 1933, the old building was demolished. A new neo-colonial facility replaced it. The Igreja São Franciso de Assis saw its neighbor evolve.
The Igreja São Franciso de Assis stands in Largo de São Francisco. It is next to the Church of the Wounds of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis. It is also near the Law School of the University of São Paulo. In 1982, the church was registered as a heritage site.
The Conselho de Defesa do Patrimônio Histórico requested the listing of the Igreja de São Francisco in 1971. The request was approved in 1982. This acknowledged the church’s importance to the city.
Key architectural features include rammed earth construction. Ironstone is present in the internal and external arches. The roof uses cap and canal tiles. The walls are made of brick masonry. Reforms in 1744 gave the Igreja São Franciso de Assis its Baroque style. Before this, it had Jesuit characteristics.
The Igreja São Franciso de Assis has survived fire and changes. It remains a testament to faith and history. Its walls whisper tales of friars, fires, and architectural transformations. As you stand here, remember the Igreja São Franciso de Assis. Remember its journey through centuries of São Paulo’s history.