CHURCH OF THE SALVADOREAN SANTISSIMO DA SE

Built between the ^16th and ^17th centuries on the site of the city's former parish church, the cathedral was damaged by the earthquake of 1980, which seriously altered the bell towers and some of the walls, and even more so by the devastating fire of 1984, which destroyed the gilded woodwork on the ceiling and altars. Now restored, its riches bear witness to the city's golden age: its silver lampstand and altar, its ^16th-century paintings on cedar wood, its jacaranda wood railings, its lectern adorned with ivory decorations and its religious treasures such as the ^15th-century English chasuble are all well worth a visit. The cathedral's imposing size gave rise to the workshop known as the "Masters of Angra". Local artists and Spanish sculptors worked together to create some of the sculptures and woodwork that decorated the cathedral. The "Masters of Angra" thus gave birth to a production that combined local influences (Oriental and Flemish) with Mannerism from Spain. These works can be seen in Angra Cathedral and other Angra churches, as well as on other islands such as Faial, Graciosa and São Jorge. It's worth noting that people from all over the world come to take advantage of the building's acoustics and its gigantic organ to make records! Another unusual detail: the cathedral's collateral walls have recently been adorned with contemporary paintings depicting scenes from the Passion of Christ.