Brazil
15 Best Religious Sites in Brazil
The temples, churches and sacred sites travelers rate highest across Brazil, with what makes each worth the trip.
Ranked by traveler review volume across 868 tracked places in Brazil. Updated monthly.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha
Religious site · Belo HorizonteThe Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, located in the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, is a landmark of modernist religious architecture.
Read our full guide →São Paulo Cathedral
Religious site · Sao PauloThe São Paulo Metropolitan Cathedral, also known as the See Cathedral, is the largest Catholic church in the city.
Read our full guide →Mosteiro de São Bento (São Paulo)
Religious site · Sao PauloThe Monastery of Saint Benedict (Mosteiro de São Bento) is a Catholic temple in São Paulo, Brazil, established on 14 July 1598.
Read our full guide →Rio de Janeiro Cathedral
Religious site · Rio de JaneiroThe Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, also known as the Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, is a modern Catholic cathedral in the center of Rio de Janeiro.
Read our full guide →Church of Saint Michael (Salvador)
Religious site · SalvadorThe Church of Saint Michael (Igreja de São Miguel) is a hidden gem in Salvador's UNESCO-listed historic center.
Read our full guide →Church of Saint Peter of the Clergymen
Religious site · SalvadorThe Church of Saint Peter of the Clergymen is an 18th-century Roman Catholic church in Salvador, Bahia.
Read our full guide →Paroquia Nossa Senhora do Brasil
Religious site · Sao PauloFree entryParóquia Nossa Senhora do Brasil is a Catholic church that stands out for its unique neo-Gothic style, inspired by the Gothic cathedrals of Europe but adapted with Brazilian touches.
Read our full guide →Igreja de Sao Joao Batista
Religious site · Porto SeguroFree entryIgreja de Sao Joao Batista stands at the heart of Trancoso's Quadrado, a historic square lined with colorful colonial houses.
Read our full guide →Brasília Brazil Temple
Religious site · BrasiliaThe Brasília Brazil Temple is a prominent religious site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known for its distinctive modern design and serene surroundings.
Read our full guide →Cathedral of Brasília
Religious site · BrasiliaThe Cathedral of Brasília is a masterpiece of modernist architecture, its hyperboloid structure creating a dramatic crown-like silhouette.
Read our full guide →Cathedral Basilica of Salvador
Religious site · SalvadorFree entryThe Cathedral Basilica of Salvador is the seat of the Archbishop of Salvador, Brazil, and the Primate of Brazil.
Read our full guide →Basilica e Santuario Nossa Senhora da Conceicao da Praia
Religious site · SalvadorFree entryThe Basilica e Santuario Nossa Senhora da Conceicao da Praia is a stunning 18th-century church located in the Comércio neighborhood of Salvador, Bahia.
Read our full guide →Manaus Brazil Temple
Religious site · ManausThe Manaus Brazil Temple stands as a beacon of faith and architectural elegance in the heart of the Amazon.
Read our full guide →Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception, Manaus
Religious site · ManausThe Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception is the heart of Catholicism in Manaus, built in the late 19th century.
Read our full guide →Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady
Religious site · MacauFree entryThe Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady, commonly called the Macau Cathedral, stands at the heart of the city in Largo da Sé.
Read our full guide →
Good to know
What is the best-known of the temples, churches and sacred sites in Brazil?
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha in Belo Horizonte is the most reviewed, with 15,142 traveler reviews and a 4.5 rating. That makes it the safe choice if you are only fitting in one.
Which of Brazil's temples, churches and sacred sites is worth going out of your way for?
Mosteiro de São Bento (São Paulo) in Sao Paulo rates highest at 4.6 out of 5 across 6,490 reviews. Smaller crowds than the headline entry usually explain the gap.
Which city in Brazil has the most temples, churches and sacred sites?
Salvador, with 4 on this list, ahead of Sao Paulo on 3. The list spans 8 cities in total, capped at three per city so one big city cannot crowd out the rest of the country.
Are any of these temples, churches and sacred sites free to visit?
Yes, 5: Paroquia Nossa Senhora do Brasil, Igreja de Sao Joao Batista, Cathedral Basilica of Salvador and others. That is based on each place's own visiting information, not an assumption about the category.
How is this list of temples, churches and sacred sites ranked?
By how many travelers reviewed each place, filtered to those rated well enough to be worth your time, drawn from 868 tracked places in Brazil. No one pays to appear on it, and the order is refreshed monthly as new reviews land.
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