São Luís, the capital of Maranhão, has a rich historical and cultural heritage. Founded by the French in 1612, it is the only Brazilian city with such origins.
Its historic centre, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, is home to some 3,000 colonial buildings, many of them covered in Portuguese tiles, the largest collection of its kind in Latin America.
The city combines tradition and modernity. While the historic centre preserves cobbled streets and old mansions, areas such as Avenida dos Holandeses and Lagoa da Jansen offer contemporary leisure and dining options.
The Facade Tiles of São Luís do Maranhão are symbols of the Luso-Brazilian heritage, combining aesthetic function and climate protection. They originated in Portugal in the 19th century and reflect Renaissance, Mannerist and Industrial styles. Present in thousands of buildings, they are part of the city’s historical heritage, recognised by […]
Those who want to know the way of life of the wealthy families of São Luís of the past centuries, their customs, habits and curiosities cannot miss visiting the Historical and Artistic Museum of Maranhão. Housed in a 19th-century manor house, the museum reconstructs the dwellings of a São Luís […]
The Ribeirão Fountain or Fonte do Ribeirão is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist attractions in São Luís. Located between Rua do Ribeirão and Rua dos Afogados, the affective symbol of the city was handed over to the population after a long restoration carried out by the City Hall. […]
The Arthur Azevedo Theatre, one of the most beautiful postcards and an important show house in São Luís, as well as most Brazilian theatres built in the 19th century, was built to meet the wishes of the petty bourgeoisie of Ludovico at the time who, enriched by the prosperous cotton […]
The João Lisboa Square or Praça João Lisboa was initially called Largo do Carmo, due to the Nossa Senhora de Monte Carmelo Convent and Church, the square is linked to important historical facts of the city, such as the battle between the Dutch and the Portuguese. It was the site of […]
The Natural History and Archaeology Research Centre of Maranhão in São Luís holds a collection that includes gems. Even extinct, dinosaurs continue to cause fascination among people. In the Archaeology area, you can see tools, ceramics, lithic materials, tiles, and other relics of the past. In the Ethnology area, you will […]
Maranhão’s popular culture is the theme of the exhibitions at Casa de Nhozinho, a museum housed in an imposing 19th-century mansion located on Rua Portugal, one of the city’s most beautiful streets. The name of the museum is a tribute to the great Maranhão craftsman Antônio Bruno Nogueira, known as […]
Rua do Giz, which was once the setting for a soap opera, once housed an important economic corridor, and in opposition to this, was also the cradle of the bohemian life of São Luís do Maranhão. Among the alleys in the historic area of the city, Rua do Giz (or […]
Like most colonial religious temples in São Luís, the Church of São José do Desterro was rebuilt several times, especially after the fighting between the Portuguese and the Dutch that marked the city’s history. In the beginning it was a small chapel covered in straw with the main door facing […]
The João do Vale Theatre is one of the few spaces for artistic performances in São Luís. The building where it operates was originally a shed that served as a sugar warehouse owned by businessman Rocha Aguiar. Located in Largo do Comércio (Rua da Estrela), the shed was built in […]
The Convent of Mercês, which was also once a barracks, is now the headquarters of the Brazilian Republican Memory Foundation and was recently elected one of the Seven Treasures of São Luís. Its construction began in 1654, when the Mercedarians João Cerveira (from Maranhão de Alcântara) and Marcos Natividade arrived […]
Cine Éden is a sumptuous cinema-theatre whose façade is preserved and retains its original features, including the name of the space in self-relief. In the first half of the 20th century, when São Luís was gaining modern airs, moving from an agrarian-export economy to an urban-industrial one, there was a […]
São Luís do Maranhão, capital of the state of Maranhão, is a city rich in history and culture, with many interesting curiosities. São Luís do Maranhão was founded by French, invaded by Dutch, colonised by the Portuguese. What was the result of this mixture? São Luís! The capital of Maranhão, […]
The Historic Center of São Luís do Maranhão stands out for the uniformity and simple and regular beauty of its buildings, forming one of the largest architectural ensembles of Portuguese essence still preserved in Latin America. The architecture we inherited from the Portuguese is the richest part of São Luís’ […]
Cafua das Mercês in São Luís do Maranhão is a former slave depot, the place tells the history of black people through the exhibition of works of art and objects from the time of slavery, such as instruments of torture. Cafua das Mercês or Museu do Negro (Black Museum) currently […]
The Convent and Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo are located in Praça João Lisboa, in São Luís and belong to the Capuchin Order. The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, integrated to the convent, is one of the most important and traditional Catholic temples in the city. The […]
The Benedito Leite Public Library, located in São Luís do Maranhão, is one of the most important public libraries in Brazil and the second oldest in the country. Founded on 3 May 1829, the library is an important centre for cultural and educational preservation. Since its creation on 3 May […]
The Cristo Rei Palace is located in Largo dos Amores and has 19th-century Ludoviscan architecture, having served as a home for nobles, Jesuit schools, headquarters of the Archbishopric and currently houses the headquarters of the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA). Predominantly neoclassical in style, the palace has a main staircase […]
The Casa de Cultura Josué Montello is part of the Maranhão State Culture System. It is designed to promote studies, research and work in the areas of literature, the arts, social sciences, history, geography, in short, the artistic and cultural manifestations of the state. Initially, the CCJM was housed in its […]
The Church of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios or Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios dates from 1719 and is part of the urban ensemble of Gonçalves Dias Square, formerly Largo dos Remédios, where parties were held during the month of October, which made it famous, to the point of being […]
Gonçalves Dias Square was inaugurated in 1873 and is located on land belonging to the Order of São Francisco, on a promontory facing the Anil River that allows a view of the São Francisco Bridge and the neighbourhood of the same name. It is home to the Church of Nossa […]
The Igreja da Sé or Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Vitória, is the Cathedral of São Luís do Maranhão. Located in the city’s Historic Centre, the Igreja da Sé is one of the region’s tourist attractions. It is worth admiring its façade and entering the church to discover its riches. […]
The Catarina Mina alley or Beco Catarina Mina in São Luís do Maranhão was named after the slave Catarina Rosa Pereira de Jesus, known for her great beauty and who, at the cost of much work and “favours” provided to the rich Portuguese, managed to gather enough money to buy […]
Casa Real Empório in the Historic Centre of São Luís is a pleasant space for meeting friends, a quick snack in the middle of the afternoon or a rest after a walk through the corners of the city centre. Casa Real Empório, located at Rua Engenheiro Couto, 59, one of the […]
The Palácio de La Ravardière or Palais de La Ravardière, built in 1689, was one of the first major buildings in the city and is the current administrative seat of the municipal government. The Palácio de La Ravardière was listed by the historical heritage, is located in one of the […]
The Palácio dos Leões (Lions Palace) is one of the most significant historical and architectural landmarks in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. 1. History of the Palácio dos Leões The Palácio dos Leões in São Luís do Maranhão has 3,000 square metres of built area, divided into three wings: residential, administrative […]
São Luís or São Luís do Maranhão is a Brazilian municipality and the capital of the state of Maranhão. With more than four centuries of history, the city has many attractions listed as World Heritage Sites, as well as the largest architectural ensemble of Portuguese tiles in Latin America. The […]
São Luís do Maranhão, often just called São Luís, is an enchanting destination in the north-eastern region of Brazil. Known for its rich cultural heritage, historic architecture and vibrant traditions, São Luís offers a unique mix of attractions for tourists. Saint Louis was the first name of São Luís, a […]
1671 Map of Mexico and Central America “Yucatan Conventus Iuridici Hispaniae Novae Pars Occidentalis, et Guatimala Conventus Iuridicus”,
Skydiving, paragliding and ballooning: check out the aerial sightseeing options in Bahia. For those who want to have fun alone or with the family,
Carlos Julião, a military engineer and draughtsman of Italian origin in the service of the Portuguese crown, never lived or settled in Brazil. He
Jews in colonial Brazil faced a complex and often difficult situation. During the colonial period, Brazil was a Portuguese colony and the Inquisition
The Catedral Basílica de Salvador is one of the most important sacred buildings from Colonial Brazil. A testament to the history and Catholicism in
The Nossa Senhora de Monte Serrat Fort, located in the city of Salvador, Bahia, is one of the most iconic and well-preserved examples of colonial
São Raimundo Nonato, located in the state of Piauí, is a city that attracts tourists interested in history, culture, archaeology and nature. São
Bonito Tourist Attractions: Unforgettable experiences Until the mid-1980s, the city of Bonito was a quiet farming town, a route for large herds of
The city of Miranda in Mato Grosso do Sul is a base for travellers crossing the southern Pantanal, and there are a number of farms in the region
Of the towns listed in the Northeast, 11 are in Bahia and represent the process of occupation of the Bahian territory until the end of the 19th
Portuguese discoveries were the result of Portuguese maritime expansion, which marked the history of Portugal and the world. Throughout the 15th
Sunday 13 May 1888 dawned sunny in Rio de Janeiro, the capital of the Brazilian Empire. It was a day of celebration. Slavery was ended by a law
Historical Map of Africa from 1570 Ortelius’ Cornerstone Map of Africa “Africae Tabula Nova”, Ortelius, Abraham Period: 1570
Discover the Sanctuary of Monte Santo in Bahia, a place of religious pilgrimage and tourism for centuries, set in the breathtaking landscape of the
The architectural style of the Chapada Diamantina reflects the rich history of the region, strongly influenced by the diamond mining cycle of the
The settlement of the Chapada Diamantina is closely linked to the exploitation of natural resources and the economic transformations that have shaped
The city of Aquidauana MS is the gateway to the Pantanal, one of the most beautiful ecosystems in the world, with many tourist attractions. The city
Coxim is located in the central-western region of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Originally inhabited by Caiapó Indians, Coxim was known by the
The Alcatrazes Archipelago was once the target of cannon fire, Alcatrazes is a living laboratory for evolutionary studies. Located just a few
The jararaca-ilhoa lives exclusively on the island of Queimada Grande, also known as the island of snakes. The jararaca-ilhoa is a sui generis snake,
