Brazil Guide FINAL:BRAZIL 3 19/9/09 17:33 Page 16
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Salvador
Bahia
Salvador, and the state of Bahia, Atlantic. It became the first colonial found in the region’s cuisine, music,
are both the European birthplace of capital of Brazil, and is one of the dance, dress, arts and crafts, and
Brazil and the region where Brazil’s oldest cities in Brazil and the New even religion. From Olodum to
links to Africa are most prominent. World. It retained its position as the capoeira, Candomblé to the typical
capital until 1763 when the title of dress of the Baianas, the African
Europeans, in the shape of a fleet being the capital of the Vice- touch is there to be discovered,
of thirteen ships under the Royalty of Brazil transferred to Rio explored and appreciated.
command of Pedro Alvares Cabral, de Janeiro.
first landed in Brazil on 23 April The historical centre of Salvador still
1500 at a spot close to what today For many years Salvador was the contains a wealth of buildings and
is the town of Porto Seguro in the most important seaport in the churches that date from the 17th to
south of Bahia. They were the first southern hemisphere and a major the 19th century. At its heart is the
Europeans to land in Brazil and centre for the sugar industry and Pelourinho where colonial mansions
were greeted by the native the slave trade. It was the slave and churches have been restored to
Amerindians. trade that gave Salvador and Bahia their former glory. The entire area is
its African flavour. Estimates considered by UNESCO to be a World
In 1549 the city of Salvador was suggest that over 80% of the Heritage Site.
founded by the Portuguese around current population of Salvador has
a triangular peninsula that some trace of Black African Salvador, like Rio, is a major tourist
separates the Baia de Todos os ancestry. It is no surprise, therefore, attraction in its own right, as well as
Santos (Bay of All Saints) from the that African influences can be being an important centre of trade. It
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