Historic Center of Salvador

The Historic Center of Salvador, also called Pelourinho, is a neighborhood in western Salvador, Bahia. It was the city's center during the Portuguese colonial period and is named for the whipping post in its central plaza where enslaved Africans were publicly punished. The area is rich in historical monuments from the 17th through 19th centuries and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It remains a cultural hub for the Afro-Brazilian community, with cuisine, architecture, religion, and music reflecting Afro influences.

Don't miss

• Cathedral of Salvador with Mannerist decoration
• Church and Convent of São Francisco with Baroque intricacy
• Church of the Third Order of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black People
• Terreiro de Jesus plaza with a central water fountain and 17th- to 19th-century structures
• House of the Seven Lamps museum
• Palace of Saldanha and House of the Seven Deaths

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Historic Center of Salvador

Cheapest way inHistoric City Tour - Half Day in Salvador4.8★ · 225 travelers4-5 hoursFree cancellationFrom$20 per personSee dates →Most bookedCity Tour Salvador Historica4.8★ · 132 travelers~3 hoursFree cancellationFrom$20 per personSee dates →Private & flexibleHistorical African oriented City Tour4.9★ · 54 travelers5-6 hoursFree cancellationFrom$190 per personSee dates →

Know before you go

• The Historic Center was listed as a national heritage site in 1984 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
• The neighborhood is a cultural hub for the Afro-Brazilian community, with cuisine, architecture, religion, and music.
• More than 800 buildings have restored façades and interiors; many function as small museums and cultural centers.

A bit of history

The Church of the Holy See was demolished in 1933 along with four other blocks of colonial and imperial buildings. The Archbishop's Palace remains. Debates over the destruction led to federal-level protection of historic assets and eventually to the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage. Many buildings have been renovated since the 1930s, with revitalization of whole blocks from the 1990s. More than 800 buildings have restored façades and interiors, many adapted as small museums and cultural centers.