Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Brazil Porto Alegre Positivist Temple of Porto Alegre

Positivist Temple of Porto Alegre

One of the few remaining temples of the Religion of Humanity.

Porto Alegre, Brazil

Added By
apbreuhan
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Positivist Temple   Eugenio Hansen, OFS / CC BY-SA 3.0
  Ricardo André Frantz
  FrancoBras
Some of the 13 steps   Aurélia Giusti
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

You will find all kinds of religious temples in Porto Alegre, servicing Hindus, Mormons, and more. But amidst all of these more mainstream faiths is a house of worship of a small and unique religion that few have heard of—yet one that was influential in the creation of modern Brazil.

The Religion of Humanity was founded by Auguste Comte, a seminal figure in the creation of academic sociology. Comte created a methodological approach to sociology that he called positivism, which strictly followed the scientific method. For knowledge to be valid to a positivist, it must be observed by the senses or shown logically. As such, positivists reject metaphysics and theology. So how did he end up founding a religion?

Comte was deeply concerned that society wasn't ready to depart from religion just yet. He felt that people still needed to participate in the services and communities that religions offered. So he founded his own religion based upon a creed of altruism and a commitment to scientific progress.

The Religion of Humanity, also simply known as Positivism, attracted some followers, though nowhere was the doctrine more influential than in Brazil. When the emperor of Brazil was overthrown in the 1889 coup, many of the republicans involved were directly influenced by Comte and intent on incorporating his ideas into the First Republic of Brazil.

Two temples explicitly built for the Religion of Humanity sprung up in Brazil in the early 1900s. One in Rio de Janeiro, the other, of course, in Porto Alegre. Services at this temple peaked in the 30s, but the Religion of Humanity never caught on and the temple reduced activities. But with other temples like the one in Rio closing, the Positivist Temple of Porto Alegre is the last remaining one in operation.

Thirteen steps lead up to the Positivist Temple, one for each month of the calendar system Comte devised for the Religion of Humanity. The interior is very reminiscent of a church, with a pulpit for sermons and a pipe organ for hymns.

Related Tags

Religion Temples

Know Before You Go

The Positivist Temple is open Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Community Contributors

Added By

apbreuhan

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

October 27, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_of_Humanity
  • https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Templo_Positivista_de_Porto_Alegre
Positivist Temple of Porto Alegre
1058 Av. João Pessoa
Porto Alegre, 90040-001
Brazil
-30.040522, -51.21646
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Vila Flores Association

Porto Alegre, Brazil

miles away

Mundo a Vapor

Canela, Brazil

miles away

Caxias do Sul Dog Favela

Caxias do Sul, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre

Brazil

Places 2

Nearby Places

Vila Flores Association

Porto Alegre, Brazil

miles away

Mundo a Vapor

Canela, Brazil

miles away

Caxias do Sul Dog Favela

Caxias do Sul, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre

Brazil

Places 2

Related Places

  • Tokyo, Japan

    Tsukiji Hongan-ji Temple

    A grand Buddhist temple with Indian influences.

  • One of the halls adorned with contemporary Buddhist art.

    Bangkok, Thailand

    Wat Sutthi Wararam

    Displaying religious art made almost exclusively in modern styles helps set this Buddhist temple apart from the myriad others in Bangkok.

  • Universel Murad Hassil

    Katwijk aan Zee, Netherlands

    Universel Murad Hassil

    A seemingly out-of-place temple built on the spot where a mystic had a profound spiritual experience.

  • Kyoto, Japan

    Yasaka Kōshin-dō Temple

    This compact temple is filled with garlands of colorful balls that represent restrained monkeys.

  • Rawalpindi, Pakistan

    Hindu Temples of Rawalpindi

    Hidden among Rawalpindi’s modern buildings are the remains of dilapidated Hindu temples.

  • The pillars of the mosque gleam in the sunlight.

    Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    The Floating Mosque

    Al Rahmah Mosque appears to "float" atop the Red Sea.

  • Gazebo structures shield statues from the elements.

    La Trinidad, Philippines

    Bell Church

    Visit a Chinese Taoist temple within the Indigenous lands of the northern Philippines.

  • Kulasekharapatnam, India

    Arulmigu Kulasai Mutharamman Temple

    Every year, massive crowds flock to this 300-year-old temple to celebrate a unique, goddess-centric Hindu festival.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.