Church and Convent of San Francisco

The Church and Convent of San Francisco in Salvador displays a facade of carved sandstone that seems to glow in the tropical heat. Inside, the walls disappear under layers of gold leaf so thick they sparked a local legend. When the Portuguese crown once demanded the friars account for their massive use of gold, the monks reportedly covered the interior in a layer of whitewash to hide the metal. They maintained the deception for years, revealing the shimmering, intricate carvings only after the inspection period passed.