São Luís Completes 20 Years as a World Heritage Site

Narrow streets. Slopes. Staircases. All of this can be found by those who stroll through the Historic Center of São Luís. There are more than 3,500 listed mansions from the late 1950s by the state. Due to this uniqueness, in 1997, the capital received the title of Cultural Heritage of Humanity from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

As the 20th anniversary of this award approaches, the city constantly fights to preserve the heritage left by the peoples who have passed through here. To ensure this happens, various projects have been implemented in the area as a way to revitalize the region. Among these projects, the Reviva program stands out. The program includes the Passeio Serenata and the Roteiro do Reggae.

“São Luís has an incomparable beauty that enchants those who know its history, culture, and heritage. It is to preserve this unique beauty that we work with projects and actions for the constant revitalization of the space, investing in activities that keep this history alive,” says Mayor Edivaldo Holanda Júnior.

As a way to preserve the heritage, São Luís has been receiving various interventions. São Luís is home to unique beauties and charms that earn it recognition titles, such as Brazilian Athens, City of Tiles, Island of Love, City of Reggae, among others, all of which provide ample reasons to invite you to discover this hospitable city.

Full of mysteries and legends, the city also holds a great folkloric expression, which can be seen and confirmed through cultural manifestations, such as the famous bumba-meu-boi and tambor-de-crioula, the latter recognized in 2007 as Brazilian Intangible Cultural Heritage.