Capela Dourada
The Capela Dourada (Golden Chapel), also called Capela dos Noviços, is part of the Ordem Terceira de São Francisco complex, in the Santo Antônio neighborhood, in central Recife. The interior is lined with carved wood covered in gold. It is a good fit for those who enjoy sacred art, history and Baroque architecture.
Part of the guide Recife
Getting there from Porto de Galinhas
Porto de Galinhas is about 50 km from Recife. The chapel is on Rua do Imperador Dom Pedro II, in Santo Antônio, downtown. If you go by bus, you can take lines 195 and 191, which connect Porto de Galinhas to Cais de Santa Rita, in the São José neighborhood.
Hours and admission
Open Monday to Friday, in the morning from 8:00 and in the afternoon from 14:00, and on Saturdays 8:00 to 11:30. Closed on Sundays and during the lunch break. There is a visitor fee.
What to see
The cornerstone was laid in 1696, the chapel opened in 1697 and the decoration was completed in 1724, the work of the Venerável Ordem Terceira de São Francisco. The interior has carved wood covered with gold, a ceiling and walls with sacred paintings in gilded frames, panels, azulejos (painted ceramic tiles) and images of Franciscan saints and angels. The chapel is part of the complex of the Convento and Igreja de Santo Antônio, together with the Igreja da Ordem Terceira de São Francisco and the Museu Franciscano de Arte Sacra, which holds sacred images.
Before you go
Since it closes on Sundays and at lunchtime, plan your visit for a morning, Monday to Saturday. There is wheelchair access. You can combine it with the Casa da Cultura and the Mercado de São José, also in central Recife.