Retreat and Church of Our Lady of Humility

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Retreat and Church of Our Lady of Humility

What it is
A 19th‑century Roman Catholic church and women’s retreat in Santo Amaro, Bahia, Brazil. It is dedicated to Our Lady of Humility and covers about 1,817 square metres. The complex includes a chapel, a retreat house, a seminary, a parsonage, a forecourt, and a side garden.

History
Construction happened over several decades from the late 1700s to the mid‑1800s. The chapel began in 1796, built by Inácio dos Santos e Araújo, who later became a priest and expanded the church. The nave was enlarged in 1801. The retreat was built between 1808 and 1817 and opened in 1817 with several novices and workers. In the 1840s–1850s, Father Bento de Maria Santíssima expanded the complex and added gates, arches, and decorative work. The whole site features a mix of architectural styles and imported azulejos (Portuguese ceramic tiles). By the 20th century the site fell into disrepair, but restoration began in 1975 with support from Bahia’s Artistic and Cultural Institute (IPAC). A museum was created to display sacred objects from the retreat.

Location
The site sits on the right bank of the Subaé River and marks the eastern edge of Santo Amaro’s historic center. It faces a square that opens toward the river and is connected to the Town Hall by narrow streets. The convent’s left side overlooks the Subaé.

Architecture and structure
The buildings are made from lime and stone with internal pillars and walls of pau a pique and brick. The facade faces the Subaé River and has a raised forecourt with an iron railing. The chapel’s three portals are framed in decorative stone brought from Portugal, and there is a left‑side arched gallery. The tower is recessed, and the central pediment sits at the center.

Interior
Inside, the chapel features a narrow nave with side corridors, one of which has been closed off as a small chapel. A right‑hand transept opens to a small patio. The retreat lies to the right of the nave, with a chapel on the first floor and dormitories above the transept. The large seminary building is next to the rear. The interior is rich with 18th‑ and 19th‑century azulejos and gilded woodwork (talha dourada) in the Neoclassical style.

Parsonage
The parsonage sits beside the church, built in the Portuguese colonial sobrado style.

Protected status
In 1986, the retreat and church were listed as historic structures by IPAC (the Artistic and Cultural Institute of Bahia) and are recognized as part of Santo Amaro’s Historic Center.

Access
The site is currently in poor condition and is not open to the public, so it may not be visited.