Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Modern Catholic church in Pampulha, Brazil.
The Igreja de São Francisco de Assis is a Catholic parish church in Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, distinguished by its curved roof structure and covered with light blue ceramic tiles. The chapel belongs to a protected ensemble and displays mosaics across its front facade that depict religious scenes spanning the entire width.
Architect Oscar Niemeyer designed the building in the early 1940s as part of a larger urban project around the artificial lake in Pampulha. Church authorities refused for years to consecrate the structure due to its unusual form, until approval came decades later.
The nickname "Igrejinha" (Little Church) comes from its modest size within the Pampulha ensemble. Inside, fourteen panels by Cândido Portinari depict the Stations of the Cross, one of his most noted works; outside, a figurative panel by Portinari and an abstract one by Paulo Werneck face the grounds. The bronze bas-reliefs of the baptistery are by Alfredo Ceschiatti, and the gardens by Burle Marx.
The church stands on the shore of Pampulha lake, reached by road from central Belo Horizonte; the gardens by Burle Marx surround the building and can be walked before or after visiting. The entrance faces the mosaic panel, and the interior is entered beneath the parabolic vault. The site is a protected heritage asset, so touching the tiled panels is not permitted.
Engineer Joaquim Cardozo used calculation methods from aircraft hangar construction for the roof structure, which was extraordinary for a religious building at that time. The load-bearing elements in reinforced concrete allow the wide span without visible supports inside the worship space.
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