Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Benedict

The Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito began to be built in 1787 and was completed only in 1830. Built in the Baroque style, its structure used stones and whale oil. This is the second oldest church on the island. Its construction was slow, since the Brotherhood of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Homens Pretos was a very poor brotherhood. Founded in 1750, it was mainly composed of slaves and ex-slaves and a few humble white men. The cult of Nossa Senhora do Rosário by slaves of African origin was common throughout the Portuguese Empire. Place of worship and meeting place for the slave and freed community of Desterro, the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário and São Benedito also had an attached cemetery, which was deactivated when the Municipal Cemetery was inaugurated. Despite being simple, the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito stands out in the Historic Center of Florianópolis. An interesting fact is that it was from the top of its stairs that the famous islander artist Victor Meirelles painted, in the XNUMXth century, the canvas "Vista do Desterro" where he portrayed in a panoramic view the city of that time, with the South Bay as a background. Address: Rua Marechal Guilherme, 60