Federal Public Ministry says historic church in Salvador is at risk of collapsing

The Federal Public Ministry filed a public civil action with the Federal Court to prevent the collapse of the Church of São Miguel, in Pelourinho, the historic center of Salvador.

According to the organization, despite being listed by Iphan (Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage) since 1938, the church shows serious signs of deterioration, such as the partial collapse of the roof over the main chapel, rotten wood, termite infestation, infiltration, precarious electrical installations and holes in the roof.

The action asks the municipality to isolate the risk area within 15 days and for emergency works to begin within 30 days. The Public Ministry cites the responsibilities of the Third Order of Saint Francis, owner of the church, Iphan and the federal, state and municipal governments.

According to the organization, listing imposes conservation duties, and the public authorities have a joint responsibility to avoid the loss of the property, which is part of the Historic Center of Salvador, a UNESCO world heritage site.

"It is, therefore, an asset of national historical relevance that requires immediate conservation and restoration measures, under penalty of irreparable loss to Brazilian cultural memory and identity", said Public Prosecutor Vanessa Previtera.

The Federal Public Ministry in Bahia states that there are 388 legal proceedings regarding historical and cultural heritage in the state. Of these, 197 are public civil actions. There are also appeals, enforcement of sentences and popular actions.

Among the actions is the one that demands the restoration of the Church of the Third Order of Carmo, filed in July 2026, and the one that defends the preservation of the Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Neves, on Maré Island, one of the oldest examples of Brazilian religious architecture.

In February 2025, the situation of historical heritage in the capital of Bahia drew attention after the collapse of the ceiling of the central nave of the Church of São Francisco, one of the jewels of Brazilian baroque architecture, also in Pelourinho, whose interior is covered by almost a ton of gold dust. Five people were injured, and a tourist from Ribeirão Preto (SP), Giulia Panchoni Righetto, died in the tragedy.

The Federal Public Ministry states that it has increased charges for emergency conservation and security measures. In 2021, a Federal Court ruling had already determined the adoption of a series of measures to maintain the temple.

With classical architecture, the Church of São Miguel was built at the beginning of the 18th century by Francisco Gomes do Rego, in devotion to Senhor Bom Jesus de Bouças Crucified of the Cross and to São Miguel. The temple was listed due to its cultural importance.

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