Rather humdrum from the outside, the Basílica Santuario de Nazaré has a truly spectacular interior. Sink into a cushioned pew and admire the soaring marble columns, brilliant stained-glass windows and ornate wood and tile work in every direction, even the ceiling. The basilica is the focal point of Brazil’s largest religious festival, Círio de Nazaré, which draws more than a million worshippers to Belém on the second Sunday in October.
Basílica Santuario de Nazaré
Belém
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.53 MILES
The name of this waterfront market, with its iconic four-turreted structure at its southwestern end, comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would…
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Museu Emílio Goeldi & Parque Zoobotánico
0.27 MILES
This museum and zoo contains Amazonian species, from anacondas and white-whiskered squirrel monkeys to jaguars and giant river otters, plus an aviary,…
Nearby Belém attractions
1. Museu Emílio Goeldi & Parque Zoobotánico
0.27 MILES
This museum and zoo contains Amazonian species, from anacondas and white-whiskered squirrel monkeys to jaguars and giant river otters, plus an aviary,…
0.88 MILES
Overlooking Praça da República, the Teatro da Paz is one of Belém’s finest buildings. Completed in 1874 and built in the neoclassical style, the…
1.35 MILES
An ambitious renovation project converted three down-at-heel riverfront warehouses into a popular gathering spot, with restaurants, bars, shops and even…
4. Palácio Antonio Lemos & MABE
1.49 MILES
This rubber-boom palace served as city hall in the late 1800s, and its 2nd floor now houses the Museu de Arte de Belém. The museum has gorgeous wood…
1.53 MILES
The name of this waterfront market, with its iconic four-turreted structure at its southwestern end, comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would…
1.56 MILES
The State Museum of Pará is housed in the grand Palácio Lauro Sodré, originally the residence of Portugal’s royal representatives in Belém and later home…
1.6 MILES
The many idiosyncrasies of Belém’s famous religious festival, the Círio de Nazaré, are explained in this handsome museum, from the discovery of a tiny…
1.65 MILES
Closed indefinitely for renovations when we last passed by, this museum, once it reopens, has two parts: the impressive Igreja do Santo Alexandre and the…