Which UNESCO World Heritage Site in Brazil is the historic colonial city of Salvador’s upper and lower towns?

The UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing Salvador’s historic upper and lower towns is the Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia.

Salvador was founded by the Portuguese in 1549 as Brazil’s first capital. Its historic centre, often called Pelourinho, preserves brightly painted colonial buildings, churches, convents, plazas, and steep streets overlooking Todos os Santos Bay. The upper town contains many major civic and religious buildings, while the lower town developed around the port and commercial waterfront.

The area reflects Salvador’s importance in Portuguese America and its deep connections to the Atlantic slave trade, African cultures, and Brazilian history. Baroque churches such as the Church and Convent of São Francisco are among its best-known landmarks.

A common mix-up is confusing this site with the Historic Centre of Olinda or the Historic Centre of São Luís, two other Brazilian UNESCO properties. Salvador ceased to be Brazil’s capital in 1763, when the capital moved to Rio de Janeiro.