The Fortaleza Metropolitan Cathedral is the third largest in the country, with a capacity of hostingfive thousand people. It is a historical monument, located in the city centre, and stands out for its architectural grandeur, its beautiful stained glass windows and its Gothic-Roman style.

Engineer Luis Francisco Pimentel was tasked with designing the fort. However in 1707, during the construction of the fort, the engineer drowned in the River Doce. His original design, which was painted in watercolour, is at the Ultramarino Historical Archive in Lisbon, Portugal.

Fort St Francis was designed by master-mason and builder Cristóvão Álvares and erected in 1630 to defend the Vila de Olinda. In a quadrangular shape, the monument is architecturally simple and rustic, with small frames, only two small arsenals and some cannons.