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, in the north-east, has one of the greatest historical heritage sites in Latin America, the result of this amalgamation of different cultures.
There are more than 3,500 listed buildings that earned the city the title of World Heritage Site, awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1997.
The famous Lençóis Maranhenses, of course, are the main tourist attraction in the state of Maranhão, but São Luís do Maranhão has beauty and history.
São Luís is the only Brazilian city founded by the French and has an impressive wealth of history.
On 8 September 1612 they created what was intended to be Equinoctial France (the city’s name was even a tribute to the then French king Louis XIII).
However, three years later it was taken over by the Portuguese and in 1641 by the Dutch, returning to the Portuguese Crown in 1644.
The Lusitanian heritage can be seen in every street of the famous historic centre, on the façades of the colonial houses full of Portuguese tiles (the largest collection in Latin America).
To walk along them is to go back in time to understand the present and reflect on the future. A journey through time that reminds us that it’s always time to learn about our own history.
On foot, you’ll get to know the historic centre and the main tourist attractions, such as the Palácio dos Leões, the seat of the State Government, with a privileged view of the sea, next door the Palácio La Ravardière, where the city hall is located, and nearby the Metropolitan Cathedral, whose altar is plated in gold.
São Luís’ historic buildings are beautiful in their own right and become even more so when you learn about their history.
Videos – Historic centre of São Luís do Maranhão
Centro histórico de São Luís do Maranhão - Parte 1
Centro histórico de São Luís do Maranhão - Parte 208:30
História dos azulejos de São Luís
São Luís - Tour pelo belíssimo Centro Histórico 25:49
In this route, the architecture is the highlight. In fact, these façades ended up inspiring architects from Lisbon in the 18th century.
Contrary to popular belief, the Portuguese living in Brazil first decorated the façades of their houses with azulejos and only then did the trend spread to Portugal.
The technique of using ceramic tiles on façades had a function beyond aesthetics: it served to minimise internal heat by reflecting sunlight.
The Portuguese tiles alone have 150 different models, mostly blue and white.
The common features of the mansions are ceramic tiles and iron balconies. Huge windows and doors communicated the economic prosperity of cotton in the 18th century.
Generally, merchants used the first floor to set up their businesses and lived with their families on the upper floor.
The walk usually starts at Praça Dom Pedro II, descends the Catarina Mina steps and drops into Rua Portugal, in Praia Grande.
Further on, stop off at Largo do Comércio for the bars and Casa das Tulhas, the place to try and buy typical products.
If you’re on your own, when you reach Rua da Paz, head to Praça João Lisboa and from there to Rua do Sol, where you’ll find the Arthur de Azevedo Theatre.
This is an attraction with a guided tour and shows. Straight ahead is Rua do Ribeirão, which leads to the Ribeirão Fountain and its legends.
The Ribeirão Fountain (1796), with Christian and pagan symbols, was used to supply the city and still inspires legends and popular beliefs.
Among them is the legend of the sleeping snake that keeps growing in the underground tunnels of São Luís. One day it will grow so big that its head will meet its arse and, when it does, it will wake up in a rage, spewing fire until it sinks the city.
Obviously, these stories were encouraged by the city’s powerful people to avoid curious people going underground, where they used to use it as a secret passage. The underground tunnels are said to connect the main churches in São Luís.
Historical and Artistic Museum of Maranhão
5 curiosities about São Luís do Maranhão
Daniel de La Touche wasn’t at the founding of São Luís? Tiradentes’ traitor lived and died in São Luís? Check out these and other curiosities.
Understanding history isn’t always so easy! Especially when it comes to São Luís, the only Brazilian city founded by the French, invaded by the Dutch and then colonised by the Portuguese.
Thinking about all the ‘madness’ that São Luís went through to get here, together with historian Euges Lima, we’ve selected a few curiosities about São Luís that you probably don’t know.
1. Daniel de La Touche wasn’t there when São Luís was founded
According to Claude d’Abbeville’s book, História da Missão dos Padres Capuchinhos na Ilha do Maranhão, the official founder of São Luís, Daniel de La Touche, was not present at the ceremony on 8 September 1612 because he was a Protestant and the ceremony was imperatively Catholic. “A Protestant would never take part in an investiture ceremony in the name of Catholicism!
The first commemoration took place in 1912, when the city was already 300 years old. According to the book, 8 September was chosen as the anniversary because of a procession by the French and Tupinambás Indians.
There they erected a cross together and this cross symbolised that at that time the French, together with the Indians, were taking possession of the island of São Luís in the name of Christianity.
And since Daniel de La Touche was a Protestant, François de Razilly, one of the leaders of the expedition, took part in the ceremony,” says historian Euges Lima.
2. Palácio dos Leões didn’t always have this name
The seat of Maranhão’s government didn’t always have this name. Euges Lima explains that the name was given as a result of criticism.
The Palácio dos Leões wasn’t always called that; remotely, it was called the Palácio do Governo (Government Palace), because it housed the executive government of the governors during the colonial period.
Around the first half of the 20th century, during the Vargas era.
Opposition groups used the tiles with lion engravings as irony to attack the governor of the time, when Maranhão was still governed by political administrators appointed by the federal government.
Instead of getting angry at the protest, he ended up neutralising the criticism by having these bronze sculptures made. From then on it was no longer called the Government Palace but the Palace of the Lions.
3. Why has the name São Luís remained, since it’s French?
That’s something to think about… Since the city was founded by Daniel de La Touche (or not) and they were expelled by the Portuguese, the name was still kept. Do you know why?
According to one of the earliest chroniclers of the history of São Luís, Bernardo Berredo, author of Anais históricos do estado do Maranhão (1749), Jerônimo de Albuquerque Maranhão, who expelled the French, left the name of the city São Luís, to preserve his deed for posterity. Thus maintaining the memory of the French presence and hence their memory.
4. The Sagração Pier took almost 70 years to complete
Construction of the Cais da Sagração, located in the centre of São Luís, began in 1841. It commemorated the coronation of King Pedro II at the beginning of the Second Empire and was only inaugurated in 1909, when Brazil was already a republic. Work began on the coronation of Pedro II.
It was begun on the occasion of Dom Pedro II’s coronation in 1841. The Brazilian Army, which was here in the state, organised celebrations. On that occasion, monuments such as the Pedra da Memória (Stone of Memory) were also inaugurated,” says Euges.
5. The traitor Tiradentes lived and was buried in São Luis
Yes, the first whistleblower in history, better known as Tiradentes’ traitor, Joaquim Silvério dos Reis, Colonel Commander of the Borda do Campo Auxiliary Cavalry Regiment, entry contractor, landowner and mine owner, who, faced with the possibility of having his debts forgiven by the Crown, decided to snitch on the inconfidentes, leaving Tiradentes as the martyr of the Inconfidência.
Part of his life, before his death, was spent here in Maranhão.
A little-known and controversial story. To begin with, documents and research prove that he was buried in the Church of São João, in the centre of São Luís, but there is disagreement as to what happened to his tomb afterwards and what would have been the fate of his remains.
Tourism and Travel Guide to São Luís do Maranhão
