Cathedral Basilica Minor of Our Lady of Light, Catholic cathedral in central Curitiba, Brazil
The Cathedral Basilica Minor of Our Lady of Light is a neo-Gothic church in central Curitiba, Brazil, built from 1876 to 1893 and inspired by the Cathedral of Barcelona. Its design is attributed to French architect Alphonse Conde des Plas, with modifications by engineer Giovani Lazzarini. The interior paintings are by Italian artists Carlos and Anacleto Garbaccio. One tower was planned to hold a bell and clock, the other a meteorological observatory with a barometer that was never installed due to high costs.
A wooden church stood on this site from 1668, making it one of the earliest places of worship in the region. The current stone building was constructed between 1876 and 1893, replacing that earlier structure as the city grew.
The cathedral is the seat of the Archdiocese of Curitiba and holds the title of Minor Basilica, granted on 7 June 1993, a century after its inauguration, in honour of Our Lady of Light, patron saint of the city. Its paintings are by the Italian artists Carlos Garbaccio and Anacleto Garbaccio.
The cathedral sits on Tiradentes Square in the heart of Curitiba's city center and is easy to reach on foot from most central points. Masses are held regularly, and outside of services the interior is generally open for visits.
During renovations in 2012, workers found a water well about 9 meters deep beneath the presbytery, dating back to the original wooden church from the 17th century. This discovery showed that the site had been in continuous use for centuries before the stone building was ever raised.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,784 contributors worldwide.