A century-old convent hidden in Tijuca almost went to the ground, but was transformed into a condominium with an open church, preserved ruins, monastic corridors, and a common area that seems straight out of a European film.

Written by Viviane Alves

Published on 11/05/2026 at 21:01

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Old Bom Pastor Convent, built in 1895, was almost demolished but ended up transformed into a residential condominium with a cloister, lofts, and preserved architectural memory

A 19th-century religious building, hidden inside a condominium in Tijuca, has once again sparked curiosity in Rio de Janeiro. The old Bom Pastor Convent, built in 1895, was incorporated into Atrium Residences, on Rua Bom Pastor, after a retrofit project that preserved part of its original structure.

The space draws attention for maintaining monastic corridors, centenary arcades, internal gardens, exposed ruins, and a functioning historic church. According to the Diário do Rio, the religious complex was almost demolished in the late 2000s, but a technical inspection carried out in 2008 changed the fate of the building.

Technical inspection changed the convent’s fate

The analysis was conducted by a municipal team linked to historical heritage and included the participation of architect Luiz Augusto Alves, former civil servant of the former Municipal Secretariat of Cultural Heritage. During the inspection, technicians identified rare elements, mainly the monastic cloister, an internal courtyard surrounded by galleries typical of European religious architecture.

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Retrofit transformed ruins into housing

The landmarking preserved stairs, windows, columns, internal courtyard, parts of the church, and original ruins. With this, the construction company Calçada adapted the project and developed the retrofit in partnership with Montserrat, a company specialized in structural recovery and historical heritage.

In the old convent, 37 residential lofts emerged on the second floor. At the back of the plot, two contemporary towers, named Firenze and Roma, were erected. The central cloister became a common area for the condominium.

Church remains open and integrated into the condominium

The historic church was restored and continues to function within the development, open to the public. Part of the ruins also remained exposed, precisely to maintain the marks of time and show the original structure of the religious building.

Thus, the old Bom Pastor Convent has become an example of how retrofit can unite historical preservation, contemporary housing, and architectural identity. In a city marked by so many demolitions, how many other heritage sites still remain hidden behind common walls?

A century-old convent hidden in Tijuca almost went to the ground, but was transformed into a condominium with an open church, preserved ruins, monastic corridors, and a common area that seems straight out of a European film.

Old Bom Pastor Convent, built in 1895, was almost demolished but ended up transformed into a residential condominium with a cloister, lofts, and preserved architectural memory

Technical inspection changed the convent’s fate

Retrofit transformed ruins into housing

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A century-old convent hidden in Tijuca almost went to the ground, but was transformed into a condominium with an open church, preserved ruins, monastic corridors, and a common area that seems straight out of a European film.

Old Bom Pastor Convent, built in 1895, was almost demolished but ended up transformed into a residential condominium with a cloister, lofts, and preserved architectural memory

Technical inspection changed the convent’s fate

Retrofit transformed ruins into housing

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Church remains open and integrated into the condominium

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