Saint Sebastian Cathedral

You didn’t expect to find a pyramid-shaped cathedral in Rio’s historic center, didn’t you? And yet, here you have it! The Saint Sebastian Cathedral is but an avant-garde take on pre-Columbian pyramids. Built between 1964 and 1976, this metropolitan cathedral is a relatively recent addition to the city. It is the seat of Rio’s Catholic archdiocese and it came to replace the former cathedral, which had become too small. The latter is now back to being just a church dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. It dates back to the 18th century and it was built in the Baroque style. As for the new one, they went bold with Brutalist architecture, a modernist movement. Architect Edgar de Oliveira da Fonseca designed this 96-metre-high pyramidal structure, drawing on both pre-Columbian and European roots to bridge the gap between the Old and New Worlds. The interior is surprisingly spacious and simple. The brightly hued stained glass windows reach for the sky, forming a large cross right at the pyramid’s tip. The cathedral can accommodate up to 20,000 worshippers, and, thanks to its atypical silhouette, it is now a signature piece of Rio’s cityscape. It’s even more breathtaking lit up at night.