Ten historic cities worth visiting in Brazil – 04/26/2023 – Tourism

Centuries of Brazilian history can be revisited in at least 88 urban complexes that were listed by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (Iphan). Such a large number makes the act of selecting just ten historic cities a difficult task.

With that in mind, in the second chapter of the series about one hundred unmissable places in the country, the Sheet put together an initial guide contemplating all Brazilian regions and different eras to inspire the reader to rediscover their past up close.

Bethlehem (PA)

The main tourist spot in the capital of Pará, the current Market Ver-o-Peso has existed since 1901. But the activities it houses already took place there in 1625, when the region became an important trading post between Europe and the Amazon. Later, in the rubber boom, the belle époque influenced the construction of luxurious buildings such as the Antônio Lemos Palace (today the city’s Museum of Art) and the Theatro da Paz, which at the time gave Belém the fame of “Tropical Paris”. .

Saint Louis (MA)

Despite having been founded by the French in 1612, the city developed from Portuguese plans. The urban fabric of that time remains intact, making the capital of Maranhão one of the most preserved among the country’s historical sites. Its architectural complex stands out for its wooden balconies with railings and the tiled facades that have become the city’s hallmark. Crossing the bay of São Marcos, the small Alcântara also helps to tell the history of the region, but with a more village vibe.

Olinda (PE)

Founded as a settlement in 1535, the city was burned down by the Dutch a century later. The devastation swept away much of the village’s 16th century architecture, but not all of it. The Igreja da Sé, the largest of its time, and the Convent of São Francisco, built in the 16th century, are still there, making up the ensemble that made Olinda the second historic center in Brazil to be declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, in 1982 .

San Cristobal (SE)

Between 1580 and 1640, Portugal and Spain formed a single crown, which it deemed strategic to dominate the area between Salvador and Olinda. It was then that São Cristóvão, the fourth oldest city in Brazil, listed by Iphan since 1967, was founded. This Spanish influence, unusual in other Brazilian historical sites, can still be observed in the architecture of the buildings that surround the São Francisco square, declared a World Heritage Site.
Access via SE-065 Highway, 20 km from Aracaju

Salvador BA)

It was in Baía de Todos os Santos that the first capital of Portuguese America was established, in 1549. The colonial mansions on the slopes of Pelourinho and churches such as the one in São Francisco, with 400 kilos of gold adorning its interior, are relics of that era. On the other side of the bay, Itaparica also holds a valuable historical set, which includes the Church of São Lourenço, from 1610, and the homonymous fort, from 1711.

City of Goiás (GO)

Founded in 1727 by the bandeirantes, Cidade de Goiás was the seat of the captaincy and state capital until the 1930s. , where the poet lived for many years. Depending on the trip, it is worth including the bucolic Pirenópolis, about 150 km away, in the itinerary.
Access via the GO-070 Highway, 140 km from Goiânia

Serro (MG)

When Brazil became a republic and mining progress moved to other regions of the state, Serro stagnated—which helped preserve the city exactly as it was in the 18th and 19th centuries. conservation of the architectural complex and even the paintings on the ceilings of churches such as Senhor Bom Jesus do Matozinhos and Nossa Senhora do
Carmo, in addition to the award-winning cheeses, make the visit worthwhile.
Access via MG-010 Highway, 228 km from Belo Horizonte

Ouro Preto (MG)

In the 18th century, the city became the most populous in Latin America. From the original layout of the stone slopes and its houses with clay tiles and colored frames to the masterpieces of Minas Gerais baroque, such as the Church of São Francisco de Assis, everything remains as it was at least since the 1930s, when the city began to be overturned. To relive the charm of times gone by, it is worth taking the train ride to Mariana and exploring Congonhas, where the Basilica Bom Jesus de Matosinho houses the works of Aleijadinho.

Paraty (RJ)

Paraty was an important point for the slave trade and the sale of gold and coffee. The miscegenation of the different peoples who have traversed its natural wealth for so long has created an exceptional integration between cultural and natural heritage, leading Unesco to declare the region as the first mixed heritage site in the world.

São Miguel das Missões (RS)

At the time of the colony, the Jesuit priests created dozens of villages in Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. Seven of them are today in Rio Grande do Sul, like in São Miguel das Missões, 480 km from Porto Alegre, where the ruins of an ancient temple and other constructions form an archaeological site.
Access via the BR 285 and RS-536 highways, 55 km from Santo Ângelo, which receives direct flights from Porto Alegre (Azul) and São Paulo (Gol)