Church of Saint Francis of Assisi

The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is a Catholic temple founded by the Secular Franciscan Order in the Brazilian city of São João del-Rei, in the state of Minas Gerais. The church, started in 1774, is one of the main landmarks of Brazilian colonial art, becoming famous for the beauty of its architecture, the richness of its carving, and the work of Aleijadinho, later modified by Francisco Cerqueira. Due to its importance, the church was declared a national heritage site by the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute along with its entire collection.