São João del Rei - São Francisco de Assis

São Francisco de Assis

South-west of Praça dos Expedicionários is Praça Frei Orlando, on which are some of the town's most important buildings. The square is dominated by the magnificent church of São Francisco de Assis, built in 1774 to the design of Aleijadinho, with sculpture by him. On the façade of this Baroque church with its slightly outward-curving side walls is relief carving in soapstone, including the coat of arms of the Third Franciscan Order and the arms of the Portuguese Crown.