Churches, Salvador da Bahia

Igreja de Sao Francisco - Saint Francis Church
If the legend that says Salvador 365 churches is true, Sao Francisco is in my opinion the most beautiful of them. Not because of its rich golden interior or the amazing effect obtained by the sculptors who were able to make the saints' eyes shine... but specially because its facade (blue and yellow tiles!) and its dellusioning ceiling on the secondary entrance. The picture is of the churche's internal garden, where you can see one of the biggest collection of portuguese tiles recently reformed.

'He who goes to Bomfim, my darling / Never wants to go back home / he was very lucky / he is very lucky / he will be very lucky / Have you ever been to Bahia, darling? No? / So you must!' This little extract of Caymmi´s song shows how important the Bomfim is to Salvador. The biggest devotion of every one in town - atheist, candombleis, catholic, no matter what you are, in the second thursday of january everyone walks to Bomfim to wash the stairs and ask for luck and protection, pay promisses and be blessed.

The city is famed for the beauty of its many Baroque colonial churches, especially the church of the convent of the Third Order of St. Francis (1701).