The church of São João Batista, a rotunda on an octagonal plan, is Landi's masterpiece, built between 1772 and 1777. The gable on the façade, a jewel of Brazilian architecture, shows Rococo features which blend in well with the neo-classical design.
Popular local products such as herbs, talismans, fish and meat can be found at the Ver-O-Peso Market. Local crafts are also sold in the restored Solar da Beira area of the market.
Basílica de Nazaré, based on the design of San Paolo fuori le Mura in Rome, is the site of the Círio de Nazaré, a religious procession which draws hundreds of thousands of people.
On Praça do Carmo, to the south of the Cathedral and near the Rio Guamá, is the church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo, built in 1616 and rebuilt in 1776, evidently by Landi. Beside it is the Capela da Ordem Terceira do Carmo (chapel of the Third Order of Carmelites), which contains a large collection of sacred art.
The Emílio Goeldi Museum (Museu Paraensa Emílio Goeldi, Avenida Magalhães Barata 376) has displays of archaeological and ethnological material, botanical and zoological collections, a specialist library and a zoological and botanical park of the primeval forest with native freshwater fishes, amphibians, mammals and birds.
Tips: Closed for renovations. The Garden/Zoo grounds are still open during renovations.
Close to the fort is the site of the Feira do Açaí, a market supplied by boat with the fruits of the açaí palm, a common local tree, which are used in the making of ices and fruit drinks.
South-west of the Ver-o-Peso Market is the 17th century Forte do Castelo, the central feature of the original settlement, built at the point where the Rio Guamá flows into Guajará Bay. Originally of timber, it was later rebuilt of beaten clay and gravel; the massive stone walls date from the rebuilding of the fort in 1850.
The Ladeira do Castelo, which links the fort with the old town, is the city's oldest street, lined with buildings faced with panels of Portuguese azulejos and magnificent churches. Many of the buildings date from the middle of the 18th century, when Belém attracted artists from many European countries, who brought the neo-classical style to Brazil.
To the east of the Ver-o-Peso Market, in Avenida 15 de Novembro, is the church of the convent of Nossa Senhora das Mercàs (protected national monument), begun in 1640 and completed in 1748. Some art historians believe that Landi was involved in the rebuilding of the church in 1777 and radically altered the original design.
The church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Homens Pretos (Our Lady of the Rosary of the Blacks) was also designed by Landi but was not built until 1820. The original church on the site was built in 1682 to house an image of the Virgin found by a hunter in the forest near Belém - the figure of the Virgen de Nazaré which is carried in the Procissão do Círio de Nazaré, the most important religious festival in the whole of northern Brazil.
The Governor's Palace (Palácio dos Governadores; 1759-71), the largest secular building of the colonial period, is another fine work by Landi. Renamed the Palácio Lauro Sodré, it is now the seat of the state government.
The Teatro da Paz ("Peace Theatre"), built in 1874 during the rubber boom in the Amazon region, can seat an audience of 1100. The curtain, with an allegory of the Republic, came from Paris.
Hours:
9am-5pm; Sun:9am-1pm; Sat:9am-1pm
Tips: Hours listed are for guided tours. Call (91)-3224-7335 for details.
The church of Sant'Ana (by Landi, 1761-82) is one of the few domed churches of the colonial period in Brazil. Landi also designed the neo-classical façade and the tabernacle in the chancel.
The Bosque Rodrigues Alves, on Avenida Almirante Barroso, which leads to the Belém-Brasília expressway, is one of the oldest botanic gardens in Brazil, with a mini-zoo and a turtle enclosure.
Two important buildings are the Palâcio Antìnio Lemos (formerly the Prefecture) and the Palacete Bolonha, recognizable by its pointed towers, in Avenida Governador José Malcher, which leads to the Basílica de Nazaré.
The Mercado Público de São Brás (1616) is one of the oldest and finest colonial buildings in Belém. It has been restored and now houses a cultural center and a terrace restaurant.
Amongst the largest river islands in the world is Ilha de Marajo, home to a rich diversity of animal life. The island can be reached via air taxies, boat or bus.
23km/14mi north of Belém, on the Praia do Cruzeiro in Marajó Bay, is the village of Icoaraci, the home of many craftsmen making the famous Marajoara pottery, an old native product.
86km/53mi north of Belém, in the river, is the island of Mosqueiro, which has 17km/10.5mi of freshwater beaches, also polluted by sewage. The beaches, which are popular with the people of Belém, are within easy reach by car or boat. They are overcrowded at weekends and consequently even more polluted; and there are frequent tailbacks on the access roads.
From Icoaraci a boat can be taken to the Ilha do Outeiro with its forests and beaches, unfortunately polluted by industrial effluent, chemicals and sewage.
Read More
Cathedral
Read Less
Read More
Ilha do Outeiro
