Parish Church of Our Lady of the Conception, Colonial church in Sabará, Brazil

The Parish Church of Our Lady of the Conception stands in the lower part of Sabará, near the Church of Nossa Senhora do Ó. Its facade has a simple body flanked by two square bell towers with pyramidal spires, topped by a cross on an armillary sphere. The walls combine a wooden cage frame with adobe at the front and rammed earth at the sides; inside, a nave and two side aisles hold gilded altars and pulpits on the pillars.

According to the French naturalist Auguste de Saint-Hilaire, the first church on this site was founded in 1701. References to the "Igreja Nova" appear in 1714, and by 1718 governor Dom Pedro de Almeida reported to the King of Portugal that it was well advanced, naming it and Ouro Preto's church as the only two in Minas in decent condition. In 1720 it was already called Igreja Grande or Matriz; its construction and decoration are tied to padre José de Queirós Coimbra, vicar for over sixty years.

The church remains the center of religious celebrations in Sabará, connecting the community to practices rooted in Portuguese colonial times. On feast days, people gather here to keep alive traditions that have been passed down for generations.

The building is located in Sabará's historic center and is accessible during religious services, with guided visits also available. Visitors should keep in mind that opening hours are tied to holidays and religious celebrations.

The high altar and retable were built by João Domingos Veiga and Francisco Nunes de Avelar under master carver Antônio Coelho, in the Joanine style with twisted columns. The large image of the patroness, held up by angels, was traditionally commissioned from Portugal in 1750. The throne beneath it is low, almost nonexistent.