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 name honors Saint Francis of Assisi, whose life appears in murals along the inner walls that greet visitors as they enter. The congregation gathers regularly for services, with the space receiving natural light that creates a bright and open feeling throughout.
Mass takes place daily, with main times in the morning and evening, so visitors can choose a suitable moment based on their schedule. On one day each month, a blessing of pets occurs that draws residents from across the city with their animals.
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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