Church and Santa Casa da Misericórdia, Catholic church and museum in Historic Center of Salvador, Brazil.
The Church and Santa Casa da Misericórdia is a religious and museum building with baroque portals overlooking the Bay of All Saints in Salvador's historic center. Inside, rooms serve both as a church and as display spaces for historical objects collected over centuries.
This building began in 1549 as part of a charitable organization and became central to colonial city life as both a hospital and religious center. The institution shaped Salvador's development over centuries through its work.
The name Santa Casa da Misericórdia means "Holy House of Mercy" and reflects its purpose as a center of charity and care. Inside, you can see how the spaces document the practical work of helping poor and sick people.
The location sits in Salvador's historic center and is best reached on foot while navigating the narrow streets. Plan time to explore both the religious spaces and the museum areas at a comfortable pace.
The Santa Casa held a monopoly on burials in colonial Bahia, and in 1652 it accepted the donation of Fazenda Saubara, a slave-holding plantation in present-day Saubara. The institution's archives and library are not kept in the church but housed separately at the Jorge Calmon Memory Center.
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