Terreiro de Jesus

Salvador


A colorful intersection of vendors, tourists, capoeiristas and colorful locals, the Terreiro de Jesus is a historic site of religious celebrations, and is ringed by four churches, as well as the 19th-century Faculdade de Medicina Building. The plaza feeds into the Cruzeiro de São Francisco, named for the cross in the square’s center.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Salvador attractions

1. Pelourinho

0.02 MILES

The centerpiece of the Cidade Alta is the Pelourinho, a Unesco-declared World Heritage site of colorful colonial buildings and magnificent churches. As…

2. Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia

0.04 MILES

Below the Museu Afro-Brasileiro (one admission ticket gets you into both), the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia exhibits indigenous Brazilian pottery,…

3. Museu Afro-Brasileiro

0.05 MILES

Holding one of Bahia’s most important collections, the Museu Afro-Brasileiro exhibits wood carvings, baskets, pottery and other artwork and crafts linking…

4. Catedral Basílica

0.05 MILES

The Catedral Basílica dates from 1672 and is a marvelous example of Jesuit architecture. The interior is elegant and simple, with marble-covered walls and…

5. Faculdade de Medicina Building

0.05 MILES

A Portuguese prince, upon arrival in Salvador in 1808, founded a school of surgery here that was later named the Bahia School of Medicine.

6. Casa do Carnaval da Bahia

0.07 MILES

The story of Salvador's world-famous Carnaval is told through wonderfully evocative archival video and photographs at this museum which opened in 2018…

7. Praça da Sé

0.08 MILES

The history of Praça da Sé reveals intriguing details about Salvador's development. From 1552 to 1933, the square was the site of the grand Sé Primacial…

8. Igreja e Convento São Francisco

0.09 MILES

One of Brazil’s most magnificent churches, the baroque Igreja e Convento São Francisco is filled with displays of wealth and splendor. An 80kg silver…