Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Assumption, Mariana, Catholic cathedral basilica in Mariana, Brazil

The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Assumption has a broad central façade between two square bell towers, with a single doorway below three straight-headed choir windows and a triangular pediment. Inside, a central nave is flanked by narrow passages leading to side altars, and a large chancel arch frames the sanctuary. The woodwork combines early Baroque, Johannine and Rococo retables.

The parish church on this site was chosen as mother church when Ribeirão do Carmo became a vila in 1711. A larger church was under way by 1714 under Jacinto Barbosa Lopes, with the nave and chancel finished between 1716 and 1718. Pope Benedict XIV created the Diocese of Mariana in 1745, making it a cathedral, and it became a minor basilica in 1963.

The cathedral's name honors Mary and her assumption into heaven, expressed through the artworks and religious symbols visible throughout the building. Visitors notice this devotion in the altars and paintings that line the interior.

The building sits in Mariana's old town and is easily accessible on foot. Access to the church remains open for visitors during operating hours, with regular religious services happening throughout the week.

The pipe organ arrived from Portugal in 1753, after the governor of Minas Gerais requested an instrument and a clock from the Crown in June 1752. Its case is covered with Chinese-style motifs, matching the choir stalls and the entrance windscreen.