at a glance

inaugurated in 1979, the cathedral is 96 meters (288 ft) tall,  shaped as a cone and it has a standing - room capacity of 20.000 people - a new, very colorful led-based illumination makes it very visible at night from a distance.   igreja de nossa senhora da lapa do desterro, originally built by the order of the carmelitas in 1810 together with the convent of santa teresa, is an important church that was once destroyed by a fire, and later rebuilt into its current form.  

another famous feature of lapa is the escadarias selarón, (selarón stairs) colorfully tiled over the years by the late chilean-born artist jorge selarón. it is a stunning example of the interaction between the community and their environement.