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Photo: Halley Pacheco de Oliveira, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The place where, during the first decades of the 19th century, ships carrying a total of almost a million African slaves landed. When slave trade was banned, freed slaves lived there for some time, eventually the whole area was entirely rebuilt and its dark history was forgotten until 2011, when African amulets and other items of worship were found during construction works. Nowadays the former wharf is an archaeological site and since 2017 a world heritage site.
The Valongo Wharf (Portuguese: Cais do Valongo) is an old dock located in the port area of Rio de Janeiro, between the current Coelho e Castro and Sacadura Cabral streets. Built in 1811, it was the site of landing and trading of enslaved Africans until 1831, with the blockade of Africa banning the Atlantic slave trade to Brazil.
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Igreja São Francisco do Prainha
Museu de Arte do Rio
A museum opened in 2013 as part of the regeneration of the old port area. Made up of a new building with good views from the roof, next to a converted building that had been part of Rio’s former bus station. Rotating exhibitions changing annually.
Palácio do Itamaraty
Former presidential palace (1889-1893) and foreign office; now hosts a museum of South American diplomacy, a library and the UN information offices in Brazil.
Museu do Amanhã
Forward-looking science museum in a compact but stunning Santiago Calatrava-designed building.