Mosteiro de São Bento

The Mosteiro de São Bento is a Benedictine monastery in Sorocaba situated on a hilltop and featuring colonial architecture with stone walls and traditional religious elements. The grounds include a church, gardens, and several historical buildings that together form a self-contained monastic complex.

Baltasar Fernandes, the founder of Sorocaba, donated land to the Benedictine Order in 1660 and established this monastery before the town gained village status. The area then developed around this religious site, making it the spiritual center of the region.

The monastery maintains its Benedictine practices through daily prayers and religious services that shape the spiritual life of the community. Monks continue their routines today and invite locals to participate in special liturgical celebrations.

Visitors can tour the monastery grounds with guided visits to the church, gardens, and historical areas during designated hours. Comfortable shoes are recommended since the hilltop location requires climbing and the grounds are explored on foot.

Sorocaba is the only Brazilian city that originated and grew around a Benedictine monastic community. This founding pattern is rare, as most Brazilian settlements developed around missions or trade centers rather than monasteries.