Belem Cathedral

A colonial landmark with strong neoclassical and baroque influences, the Catedral da Sé stands on the Praca Frei Brandão, next to Padre Champagnat and close to the waterfront.

Construction began in 1748 and this cathedral was completed just under 25 years later, in 1771.

Particularly notable are the twin towers, the bright white facade and the recently renovated interior. Within walking distance are both the Praça Dom Pedro II and the Praça do Relógio. The Belém Cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Belém and is located in the Old Town district in the city of Belém do Pará, in front of Praça Dom Frei Caetano Brandão. The first church was built in Belém provisionally within the Fort crib and it was dedicated to Our Lady of Grace. A few years later was transferred to the current Cathedral Square, a poor construction. In the following century, in 1719, the Diocese of Maranhão was dismembered at the request of D. John V and Belém is to host the newly created Diocese of Pará, earning the right to honor of his Episcopal church.

The present main altar was created in Rome by Luca Carimini in the nineteenth century, while the paintings that decorate the interior were made by the Italian Domenico de Angelis and Giuseppe Capranesi. The great organ, the workshop of the Frenchman Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, was installed in 1882, being the largest organ in Latin America. The cathedral is an important part of the traditional celebration of the Candle of Nazareth (Círio de Nazaré), the largest procession in the western world. After a Mass in the cathedral, the statue of Our Lady of Nazareth part in procession to the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Nazareth, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of people.

Hours: Daily - 07:00 am to 12:00, 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm

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