Its construction was the result of the initiative of the brothers from the Carmelite Order of Rio de Janeiro who had moved to the old Vila Rica, today Ouro Preto.

The project was entrusted to Manuel Francisco Lisboa, who was a member of the Brotherhood, and the master builder was José Pereira dos Santos, who started work in 1756.

The works of internal decoration were completed by Manuel Francisco de Araújo in 1784, but the renovations were carried out slowly, remaining until the early twentieth century.

[5] The building's project was the last to be done by Manuel Francisco Lisboa, but later the layout would be changed several times, and it is speculated that Aleijadinho, the designer's son, may have participated in these modifications, which gave the original plan typical Rococo features.

The wall of the cross arch is chamfered in three parts arranged at angles, where doors open into corridors leading to the sacristy, located at the back of the building, behind the chancel.

The nave has a ceiling of sliding boards, with an undulation in the shape of a kanga, and six side altars; instead of the traditional tribunes on the upper level, windows are opened to provide ample illumination for the interior of the temple.

[3][5] The large frontispiece carved in soapstone, showing the coat of arms of the Order of Carmelites flanked by two cherubs and topped by the head of a third, which holds the crown of the Virgin, stands out on the facade.

The frontispiece is traditionally attributed to Aleijadinho, but according to Germain Bazin, other craftsmen must have participated, especially in the parts of the doorposts, the eye window ornaments and the cherubic heads.

In the altars of Saint John and Our Lady of Sorrows, Aleijadinho tried to respect the style of the preceding ones, adopting, however, the fluted columns, surrounded by spiral garlands and rocaille capitals.

Beautiful panels of tiles decorate the lower registers of the walls of the chancel, illustrating themes related to the iconography of the Order of Carmelites.