Centro Cultural São Francisco
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Why go
- The gold-carved pulpit, which UNESCO considers unique in the world.
- Portuguese tiles on the walls, with panels on the story of Joseph in Egypt.
- The one-piece transept cross, with pelicans or a phoenix carved on its pedestal.
- The tiled wall of the adro, with six niches of Via Crucis scenes.
Opening hours
Today09:00 – 15:30Show all
Know before you go
- Open Tuesday to Saturday, 09:00 to 15:30.
- Open on Sunday, 09:00 to 14:30.
What's inside
- The church, in Rococo baroque style, with its gold-carved pulpit.
- A prayer house called Chapel Dorada.
Tips for your visit
- Look for the site under its current name, the Sacred-School Museum of Paraíba.
- Leave time for the side chapels: the Chapel of San Benito and the prayer house Chapel Dorada.
- The complex also has a cloister and a fountain, so the visit is not only the church.
Interesting facts5
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The site is counted as the biggest Baroque monument in Latin America.
São Francisco Cultural Center - Wikipedia -
Art historian Germain Bazin named it an ideal example of the Franciscan school of building.
São Francisco Cultural Center - Wikipedia -
Critic Mário de Andrade called its church the most graceful in Brazil.
São Francisco Cultural Center - Wikipedia -
Some believe its design was shaped by indigenous art.
São Francisco Cultural Center - Wikipedia -
Repairs and replacements have already damaged much of the interior.
São Francisco Cultural Center - Wikipedia
Shorts
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Centro cultural São Francisco em João Pessoa-PB.Rota 314
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Visitei o Centro Cultural São Francisco João Pessoa ParaíbaAleNômade
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Centro Cultural de São FranciscoJônathas Jetter
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Centro Cultural São Francisco , João PessoaCentro Vivo - João Pessoa
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O teto dessa igreja é incrível: Centro Cultural São Francisco, João P…AleNômade
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Centro Cultural São Francisco em João PessoaJoão Pessoa
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💒 Centro Cultural São Francisco em João Pessoa na ParaíbaCamila Gonçalves
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No Centro Cultural São Francisco, a arte, a presença e a energia dess…Morganah Fênix
History
The Dutch invasion interrupted the works. Dutch directors lived in the complex and the convent was damaged.
- 1589Franciscan friars began building the complex, to help the Jesuits.
- 1591Fray Francisco dos Santos wrote the original design, and the main works ended.
- 1636The friars were forced out of the convent.
- 1639Dutch governor Elias Herckmans called the convent the largest and most beautiful in the city.
- 1788The complex was completed.
Show all
- TodayIt operates as the Sacred-School Museum of Paraíba.
Sources: São Francisco Cultural Center - Wikipedia · checked 25 Oct 2026
- Phone
- +55 83 99100-9546
Questions and answers
What are the opening hours of Centro Cultural São Francisco?
Centro Cultural São Francisco is open Tuesday to Saturday, 09:00 to 15:30. On Sunday it is open from 09:00 to 14:30.
Where is Centro Cultural São Francisco?
It is on Ladeira São Francisco in João Pessoa, the capital of the state of Paraíba in Brazil.
Is Centro Cultural São Francisco a museum?
Today it operates as the Sacred-School Museum of Paraíba. The complex is a Franciscan church and convent, built from 1589 and completed in 1788.
What is the main thing to see at Centro Cultural São Francisco?
The gold-carved pulpit, which UNESCO considers unique in the world. The walls are also covered with Portuguese tiles that show scenes from the story of Joseph in Egypt.
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