Church of Our Lady of Candelaria
Caracteristics
Original name:
Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Candelária
Kind of building:
Church
Religion:
Main style:
Neoclassical
Original building erected on:
1609
Current building erected on:
1811
Supporting entity:
*** We are working to obtain this information.
Celebrations::
*** We are working to obtain this information.
The History
It has as its origins traced back to a promise made by the Spanish couple Antônio Martins Palma and Leonor Gonçalves. With their ship surrounded by a storm the couple supposedly made a promise to build a temple in honor of Our Lady Of Candelária at the first port they would arrive. So arriving at Rio de Janeiro the couple fulfills their promise purchasing some land and erecting a chapel.
And it wasn’t a small chapel either because in 1634 it was made Parochial Headquarters (first Headquarter on the Lowlands).
In 1710, due to poor structural conditions, it was rebuilt.
Again in poor conditions in 1775 it was decided for the reconstruction of it on a bigger sanctuary-type setting. It’s Head corner stone was laid on the 6th of June of 1775.
It was inaugurated in 1881 although it would still go through various modifications until 1898 when it reached its current shape.
And according to an Ad from that period it was the biggest in Latin America. In 1901 the brass doors made by Teixeira Lopes were placed on the entrances.
It survived the major changes throughout the downtown area and due to the demolition of the surrounding houses for the construction of the Avenue Presidente Vargas it got a quite visible spot on the area.
It’s silhouette sometimes confuses people that don’t know it well because getting into Downtown from Presidente Vargas Avenue one can get the impression that is facing the front of the chapel when in fact what is seen is the back of it.
Curiosities
-
It is not possible to specify the edition data of the first temple, as many documents of the brotherhood were lost during the invasion of Duguay Truin, in 1711;
-
As you can see in the old photos, until 1943 it was located between four streets. However, with the opening of Avenida Presidente Vargas, it was very privileged, staying in a square and with full visualization of all its architectural details.
-
On the roof of the church are painted panels that tell the history of the church's foundation.
Photos - Old Ones
Photos - Inside
Photos - Outside
How to get there
Nearest subway station:
Uruguaiana (about 2,001 ft)
Use the subway! Get off at the subway station ‘Uruguaiana’. Once there you should look for the exit towards Uruguaiana Street (Rua Uruguaiana). Exactly in front of the exit there’ll be Uruguaiana Street. Yeah, that’s right! Everything is called Uruguaiana! Exactly ion front of you, starting at Uruguaiana Street, Alfândega Street commences, a straight line will take you until the proximities of Candelária.
After crossing Rio Branco Avenue, passing by the Our Lady Mother of Men Church (on the left side of the street), at the end of the second block, there will be Candelária Street (to the left).
Candelária Street will take you to the proximities of the front side of the Candelária Church. At this point would be visible the ways to take to the Candelária Church.
Social Networks and Others
Location
Address:
Praça Pio X, S/N
Phone:
(21) 2233-2324
eMail:
Don´t have.
Website:
Don´t have.
Open hours:
Monday to friday, from 8am to 3:30pm.
Saturdays, from 9am to 10pm.
Sundays, from 9am to 1pm.
Nearby Temples
Bibliographic Reference
MAURICIO, Augusto. Igrejas Históricas do Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro: Livraria Kosmos Editora / SEEC/RJ, 1978.