Manaus Information

Starting point for trips in the heart of the Amazon area is Manaus, the capital of the biggest Brazilian Federal State, Amazonas.
Manaus was around the turn of the century one of the richest cities of the world. The wealth of the primeval forest becomes visible first of all in the architecture of it`s capital. "Milk", the latex (Hevea brasiliensis) was named, a fascinating natural product, which by the trees is tapped. This "milk" was the origin for the conversion of a whole city. The American Charles Goodyear developed a procedure with the juice of the rubber tree into rubber could be processed. The city revelled in the money intoxication and the india rubber barons afforded the biggest luxury from Europe, a copy the Grand Opera de Paris - the TEATRO AMAZONAS . Other monuments from this epoch how the MERCADO MUNICIPAL, a copy of the famous market halls Les Halles in Paris, the arts centre RIO PALACIO NEGRO between fascinating Portuguese facades, reflect this time still again.
Today Manaus is a foreign trade zone. Foreign enterprises must pay here no import duties what guarantees a certain income for the city and the region. Electronics, wood industry and oil refineries have settled in the outskirts in industrial areas. The harbour is the most important trading centre for the care of the city with regional, national and international products.

The Opera house is the major cultural heritage of the Amazonas. It was inaugurated in 1896 during the rubber boom. In spite of the predominance of neoclassic elements, other styles were used, so the architecture is eclectic, with materials brought from Europe as well as artists like Domenico de Angelis, Giovanni Capranesi and Crispim do Amaral.Preserved like a national heritage since 1965, today, with more than 100 years, it has room for 681 people including balconies and three floors of boxes. After the restauration made by the state government in 1990, the theater rescued its splendor, with performances of famous operas, national and international musicians.
Visit Amazonas Opera House:

Itinerary carefully elaborated to enable you to discover the main attractions. The rubber boom during the second half of the 19th century created a golden era, and witnessed the constructions of luxurious public and private buildings that you will see. First point to visit is the Municipal Market "Adolpho Lisboa", built between 1883 and 1897 by BAKUS&BRISBIN. Most of the material was imported from Europe, like the columns from Scotland and the colored windows in the style of "Les Halles" from Paris. Inside it's metallic structure we can find regional products and handicraft. Then we will visit the Teatro Amazonas, better known as the Amazon Opera House, the main symbol from the golden ages of the rubber boom. It's construction started in 1884 by the Italian company ROSSI&IRMÃOS, but due to financial problems it was only inaugurated in 1896 by the Governor Eduardo Ribeiro. Built entirely with imported materials, the glass roof tiles came from France, doors and staircases from England and Italy, crystal chandeliers from Italy, and the stage and outside dome from Paris. It's styling is eclectic, part art-nuveau, part neo-classic, part baroque. Due to the restoration done a few years ago, it has kept all the splendor of that period. After that, Indian museum will be the next atraction where we will learn all about the indian culture.