Igreja Nossa Senhora das Dores

The church Nossa Senhora das Dores is a Catholic church located in the city of Porto Alegre, at Rua dos Andradas. It is the oldest church in the city still standing. Its construction dragged on for a long time and the plan of the facade was modified while it was still under construction, exhibiting today an eclectic style, while the interior is richly decorated with a gilded carving in a late Baroque style with neoclassical elements, besides possessing an important group of Baroque statues of life-size Christ representing the Passion cycle. It had its foundation stone launched on February 2, 1807. By mid-1813 the chapel was completed, and on June 23 of this year the image of Our Lady of Sorrows from the old Matrix was transferred to its new home. Its interior still presents much of the primitive colonial features. The entrance is made through three doors, and the central one ends in a windscreen glass. Above is a wooden choir, supported by arches and Corinthian columns. There is only one nave, flanked by a series of altars richly carved and gilded by João do Couto e Silva, with a round arch profile and a large decorated frame, salomonic and baldachin columns, and niches for statuary. Also lined in the nave are several grandstands with stained-glass doors and iron bombs, and two pulpits. The painting of the ceiling, divided into coffins, is the work of Germano Traub, basically in floral and geometric motifs, with figurative medallions.