The Santo Antônio Monastery, located on an esplanade overlooking the Largo da Carioca, attracts admiring stares from all sides. But it is the inside of the complex that is really worth seeing. Have a look inside the church, which is one of the most remarkable in Rio, with its sculpted, gilded wood apse and its remarkable painted ceiling in the confessional. At the very beginning of the 18C, the monastery protected Cariocas from the French. These days you will discover a haven of peace and quiet within this wonder of religious architecture.