SALVADOR, BAHIA
(PELOURINHO)

The city of Salvador was founded in 1549 on the Bay of All Saints on the northeast coast of Brazil. It was the first capital of Brazil and was for centuries a center of the African slave trade. Salvador is the third largest city in Brazil (after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro). Its historic center is called the Pelourinho, which boasts the largest concentration of 17th–19th century colonial architecture in the Americas and which was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. The city’s rich African heritage colors its cultural life and popular art: its cuisine, music, art, and religious and civic celebrations. The Pelourinho is home to many popular artists whose colorful work can be found displayed in local galleries and even on the streets.