Igreja Sao Sebastiao

Along with the Teatro Amazonas in central Manaus, the rubber boom of the late 1800s also saw the construction of the Church of San Sebastian (Igreja Sao Sebastiao). The church was built in 1888, and although there are other more noteworthy cathedrals in Brazil, this one is certainly worth a visit.

The Igreja Sao Sebastiao lies on the lovely San Sebastian Square, right across from the city's opera house, which makes it easy to check out either, before or after taking a guided tour of the theater. Inside the church, you will find paintings on the walls that were created in Italy and brought to Manaus and the interior of the dome. The largest painting shows the martyrdom of Sebastian, the saint to whom the church is dedicated.

One interesting thing visitors may notice about the Church of San Sebastian before they even enter is that the exterior looks a bit lopsided. There is only one bell tower on the church. Although two were in the original plan, the second was never built.