Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo, Colonial church in downtown São Paulo, Brazil

Igreja do Carmo is a rammed-earth church begun in 1747 and finished externally by 1758, standing beside the former Convento do Carmo in central São Paulo. Its three-arched frontispiece, with windows, pilasters and pyramids, was built from 1773 to 1777 by Joaquim Pinto de Oliveira, known as Tebas, mixing rammed earth, brick and stone masonry.

The present structure was built between 1747 and 1758 and replaced an earlier chapel next to the Convento do Carmo that had existed since 1592. The new building was part of the expansion of religious structures in the growing city during Portugal's colonial period.

The church displays ceiling paintings by Friar Jesuíno do Monte Carmelo that reflect the rococo period. Visitors can also see wooden panels from the former Santa Teresa convent, which connect the space to the early monastic community.

The church stands in the old centre, a short walk from the Anhangabaú and São Bento metro stations. Its entrance faces the street through the three stone arches finished in 1777, so look for the frontispiece rather than a side door. The interior is small and visits are brief; weekday mornings are the least crowded.

The 1773 frontispiece was begun by Joaquim Pinto de Oliveira, known as Tebas, an enslaved man who had worked under master builder Bento de Oliveira Lima. After stonemason Antonio Francisco de Lemos was faulted in a 1776 inspection, Tebas was called back to undo the errors and finish the three arches, windows and pilasters, completing the work in 1777.