EnglishChapel of saint Peter Ad Vincula
Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil
Religious Architecture
In 1766, a chapel dedicated to Saint Peter ad Vincula (in Chains) was built in front of the prison (aljube) and used to celebrate mass for imprisoned religious people. This is a small chapel whose function is to protect an altar, with its painted altarpiece depicting Saint Peter at the moment when his shackles are broken by an angel. The construction corresponds to the prison’s baroque style, but with a simpler vocabulary. There is no nave, since the ceremonies were attended from the cells. The small structure stands out on the street due to its location on a higher level.