Igreja de São Francisco de Assis, São João del-Rei

The Church of São Francisco de Assis is a Catholic temple founded by the Venerable Third Order of São Francisco de Assis in the Brazilian city of São João del-Rei, in the state of Minas Gerais. The church, begun 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 master Aleijadinho, author of the project, 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.