Igreja do Boqueirao (Church of the Ravine), Salvador

Back in 1726, amid the remnants of an old defensive trench overlooking the stunning Bay of All Saints (“Baía de Todos-os-Santos”), the Brotherhood of Pardos approached Brazil’s Viceroy, Vasco F. Cesar de Menezes, with an audacious request: “We’d like to build a church here.” The result was this remarkable temple, perched on Santo Antônio Além do Carmo’s slopes, looking for all the world as if it was placed there by divine decree.

Its architecture bears a striking resemblance to the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black People (“Igreja do Rosário dos Pretos”) over in Pelourinho, but with its own Rococo flair. Construction wrapped up in the mid-1800s, with gleaming white-tiled towers marking its façade. Inside, the décor dances between neoclassical elegance and baroque drama. And the name “Boqueirão”? That’s a nod to the geological fault that conveniently splits Salvador’s Upper and Lower Towns right where the church stands.

Step inside, and you’ll find three altars gilded in gold and rich detail, plus once-hidden paintings revealed during a 2009 restoration. Look up at the ceiling, and you’ll see the Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception, being glorified alongside the Holy Trinity. Add two basements—one transformed into a catacomb—a ground floor, a first floor, and rooms for a sacristy, galleries, a choir, and a consistory, and you’ve got a church that does it all.

When the construction dust finally settled, the Brotherhood of Pardos was upgraded to a Venerable Third Order, a fitting honor for a community that made up the majority of Salvador’s population yet held no political sway. This church was more than a place of worship—it was a symbol of pride and identity for pardos, long before the Rosary of the Black People Church entered the picture.

Today, recognized by IPHAN for its cultural and historical significance, this glorious structure serves as both a sanctuary for religious services and the headquarters of the Brotherhood.