Mosteiro de São Bento de Olinda
gratuitoMosteiro de São Bento de Olinda is a Benedictine complex founded at the end of the 16th century, in Varadouro, within the Historic Site. The church, a minor basilica since 1998, has a gilded wooden high altar more than 12 meters tall. It suits those who enjoy sacred art, the Baroque and liturgical music.
Part of the guide Olinda
Getting there from Porto de Galinhas
By car it is about 67 to 69 km to Olinda, via Recife, between 1 hour and 1 hour 10 minutes without traffic. The monastery is on Rua de São Bento, in Varadouro, the neighborhood that is also home to the Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Pernambuco. The Recife and Olinda city tours that leave from Porto de Galinhas do not include church and museum tickets; ask the agency whether the monastery is on the itinerary.
Hours and admission
Admission is free. Mass is held Monday to Saturday at 6:30 and, on Sundays, at 10:00, with Gregorian chant. To visit outside Mass times, confirm the hours before setting out, because the church was under renovation until the end of June 2026.
What to see
The gold-covered high altar holds images of Saint Benedict, Saint Gregory the Great and Saint Scholastica. It was restored in 2001 by the Fundação Joaquim Nabuco and exhibited at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2002. The complex suffered a fire during the Dutch invasion of 1631 and was rebuilt from 1640 onward. On June 30, 2026, a new restoration was delivered, funded with R$ 16.4 million from the Novo PAC program, covering the decorative artworks of the nave and the chancel, as well as drainage, foundations and fire prevention.
Before you go
If you want to hear the Gregorian chant, go to the Sunday Mass at 10:00. The work delivered in June 2026 is the first phase of the monastery's restoration.