Casa dos Bonecos Gigantes

Pernambuco


This small upstairs gallery displays a collection of the giant puppets used in Olinda's Carnaval. Unlike some more commercial galleries in Recife, almost all of the puppets here, which weigh between 15kg and 50kg, are representations of notable locals including patrons of Carnaval and folkloric heroes.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Pernambuco attractions

1. Museu do Mamulengo

0.1 MILES

The Museu do Mamulengo has a unique and surprisingly interesting collection of more than 1000 pieces devoted to the traveling puppet shows called…

2. Museu de Arte Contemporânea

0.12 MILES

Housed in an 18th-century Inquisition jail, MAC has occasionally interesting temporary exhibits in addition to a somewhat lackluster permanent collection…

3. Igreja da Misericórdia

0.13 MILES

Igreja da Misericórdia and the adjacent former hospital buildling stand on the site of a larger church built in 1630 that was burnt to the ground by the…

4. Museu Regional de Olinda

0.15 MILES

Located in a classic house that was formerly inhabited by the local clergy, this museum houses a small collection of colonial-period furniture and…

5. Igreja São Pedro

0.16 MILES

This colonial church built in the 18th century was closed in 2015 due to risk of collapse and – much to the chagrin of locals – has yet to reopen.

6. Igreja NS do Amparo

0.22 MILES

Head down Rua Saldanha Marinho to look at the restored 1613 Igreja NS do Amparo, which was partially destroyed by the Dutch before being rebuilt in 1644…

7. Igreja da Sé

0.24 MILES

The imposing Igreja da Sé was originally built in 1537. Burnt in 1631, it has been reconstructed four times since, most recently from 1974 to 1984 in a…

8. Igreja NS do Carmo

0.28 MILES

Praça do Carmo is overlooked by Igreja NS do Carmo (1580), which has been restored in part, although the faded frescoes beside and above the altar on the…