Unique UNESCO World Heritage in Brazil - Part 1

Brazil is one of the most diverse countries in South America. Natural paradises such as the Amazon Rainforest and the Pantanal with its unique biodiversity and variety of species are popular destinations during your Brazil vacation. But also cities like Salvador da Bahia, São Luís or Ouro Preto are popular holiday destinations. They don't only impress with their beauty, but have also been declared World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO.

The abbreviation UNESCO stands for "United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". UNESCO's tasks also include the protection of world heritage. This means, that UNESCO designates sites, landscapes and buildings as World Heritage. These are then given special protection and care, so that future generations can also enjoy them.
Brazil has 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are divided into World Cultural and World Natural Heritage. Furthermore, Brazil has eight entries on the list of intangible cultural heritage.

There are 14 Brazilian sites on the World Heritage List. The World Heritage Site consists of monuments, groups of buildings or sites of exceptional and universal historical, aesthetic, archaeological, scientific, ethnological or anthropological value.

1. Historical city of Ouro Preto
2. Historical center of Olinda
3. Jesuit missions of the Guaraní
4. Historical center of Salvador da Bahia
5. Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Congonhas
6. The capital Brasília
7. Serra da Capivara National Park
8. Historic Center Saõ Luís
9. Historic Center Diamantina
10. Historic Center of Goiás
11. São Francisco Square in the city of São Cristóvão
12. Carioca landscapes between mountains and sea in Rio de Janeiro
13. Ensemble of Modernity in Pampulha
14. Archaeological site of Cais do Valongo in Rio
15. Paraty and Ilha Grande (mixed world heritage)

Ouro Preto was founded at the end of the 17th century and was an important center during the gold rush in Brazil. When the gold mines were slowly plundered in the 19th century, the influence of the city decreased. However, the many churches, bridges and fountains still bear witness to the city's flourishing past and the extraordinary talent of the Baroque sculptor Aleijadinho.

The city was founded by the Portuguese in the 16th century and its history is closely linked to sugar production. After the plundering by the Dutch, the historical center was rebuilt in the 18th century. The harmonious balance between buildings, gardens, 20 baroque churches, monasteries and numerous small chapels contributes to the special charm of Olinda.

The ruins of São Miguel das Missões in Brazil and those of San Ignacio Miní, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa María la Mayor in Argentina are located in the heart of the pampas, the typical vegetation of the south of the continent. These ruins are the impressive remains of five Jesuit missions built on this territory inhabited by the Guaranís in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Salvador da Bahia was Brazil's first capital from 1549 to 1763. The city is influenced by different cultures, but especially by African influence. Salvador became the first slave market in the new world, where slaves were sold for work on the plantations. During a walk through the historical center, you will still encounter many well-preserved colorful Renaissance buildings, which are decorated with fine stucco work.

This sanctuary, which is located in Congonhas, was built in the second half of the 18th century. It consists of a church, the interior of which is decorated in the magnificent Italian-inspired rococo style, an external staircase decorated with statues of the twelve apostles and six chapels representing the Via Crucis. There are also sculptures by the famous Baroque artist Aleijadinho.

Brasília is a milestone in the history of urban planning. The current Brazilian capital in the center of Brazil was built from nothing between 1956 and 1960. The urban planner Lúcio Costa and the famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer wanted every element to be in harmony with the overall design of the city. The official buildings are particularly innovative and creative.

Many of the numerous rock shelters in Serra da Capivara National Park are decorated with cave paintings. Some of these cave paintings are over 25,000 years old. It is an expressive testimony of one of the oldest human activities in Latin America.

São Luís was founded by the French and occupied by the Dutch before the Portuguese regime. The original town planning with rectangular streets is completely preserved. Thanks to a period of economic stagnation at the beginning of the 20th century, an exceptionally large number of historic buildings has been preserved. São Luís is an impressive example of a colonial city of the Iberian nations.

In the heart of the dry and rocky mountains in the northeast of Minas Gerais rises the historical center of Diamantina. The baroque architecture differs from other Brazilian cities because it is made of wood and is characterized by its geometry and details. The churches have similar colors and structures as civil buildings and usually only one tower. The regularly arranged one- or two-storied semidetached houses from the 18th and 19th centuries have bright colors on a white background and contrast with the grey cobbled streets. The historic center bears witness to the conquest of the regions in Brazil's interior and illustrates how explorers, diamond hunters and representatives of the Portuguese crown forged a new culture in the 18th century and adapted its origins to the realities of America.

The city of Goiás Velho is witness to the occupation and colonization of Central Brazil during the 18th and 19th centuries. The town layout is an example of the organic development of a mining town, adapted to the conditions of the region. The architecture of both public and private buildings forms a harmonious whole, thanks to the consistent use of local materials and techniques.

São Francisco Square, in the city of São Cristóvão, is an open-air square surrounded by very relevant old buildings such as the São Francisco Church and Convent, the Church and Holy House of Mercy, the Provincial Palace and its associated buildings from different historical periods of the 18th and 19th centuries. This creates an urban landscape that reflects the history of the city since its creation.

The unique landscape around Rio de Janeiro consists of an exceptional rural environment, which includes many natural beauties. World Heritage Sites include the Tijuca National Park, the Botanical Garden, the Corcovado with the Statue of Christ and the hills around the Guanabara Bay, including the extensive landscapes along Copacabana Beach.

The modern building project of Pampulha is an outstanding example of modern architecture, which was built in 1940 in Belo Horizonte. Originally, the public work project was planned as a cultural and leisure center. The project was created through the collaboration of the famous architect Oscar Niemayer with the engineer Joaquim Cardozo, the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx and the artist Candido Portinari, as well as other local artists.

The archaeological site of Cais do Valongo is located in the center of Rio de Janeiro, more precisely in the old port area, and extends over the entire Praça do Jornal do Comércio. The old stone pier was built for the landing of enslaved Africans, who reached the South American continent from 1811. Approximately 900,000 Africans came to South America via the Valongo Pier.

This World Heritage Site has a special status because it is not a pure World Cultural Heritage Site, but a mixture of World Cultural Heritage and World Natural Heritage. It is located between the Serra da Bocaina and the Atlantic Ocean. The World Heritage Site includes the historic center of Paraty, one of the best-preserved coastal cities in Brazil, and four protected areas of the Atlantic Rainforest, one of the five most important biodiversity hotspots in the world. Paraty is home to an impressive diversity of species, some of which are endangered, such as the jaguar, the whiskered peccary and several species of primates, including the spider monkey.
At the end of the 17th century, Paraty was the endpoint of the "Gold Trail", the route for transporting gold to Europe. The port also served as an entry point for African slaves, who were brought to work in the mines. The historical center of Paraty retained its urban layout from the 18th century and much of its colonial architecture, which dates from the 18th and early 19th centuries.

As you can see, there are many unique places in Brazil that are definitely worth a visit. Small colonial cities on the Atlantic Ocean coast, cities created from nothing and representing an architectural masterpiece, as well as historic city centers or ruins. It's worth including a visit to some of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in your itinerary for your next Brazil trip!

Sources: portal.iphan.gov.br, weltkulturerbe-online.info, www.unesco.org, www.wikipedia.org