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Church and Convent of Mount Carmel
São Cristóvão, Sergipe, Brazil
Religious Architecture
The presence of the Carmelites in São Cristóvão dates back to 1618, when they were granted land. They built a modest convent at this time, which is recorded in Dutch reports on the city. The existing church and convent were built after the Dutch were expelled in 1647. However, some vague information on the construction of these buildings, which began in 1699 with the foundation of the convent, has survived. In 1739, the church was enlarged, work that may have been finished in 1766, the date inscribed on the frontispiece. Located on a square, the archi-tectural complex is dominated by the church of the First Order, with the convent to the right and the church of the Third Order to the left, set back from the convent. One of the main features of this church is the galilee with three arches, topped by three choir windows. The façade has an ogee pediment and the tympanum is decorated with stone features. The church has a single nave but little interior decoration. The stone frames of the tribunes, pulpits and the niches of the two side altars are the only features that stand out. The crossing arch, also in stone, has the Carmelite coat of arms at the top. The complex has suffered significant losses, including the defacing of the convent cloister and the removal of the entire contents of the chancel, but its historical and architectural value has been acknowledged by IPHAN since 1943.
Maria Berthilde Moura Filha