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Historic Centre of São Luís

Brazil
Date of Inscription: 1997
Criteria: (iii)(iv)(v)
Maranhão State, Brasil’s North-East Region
S2 30 51 W44 18 9
Ref: 821

Brief Description

The late 17th-century core of this historic town, founded by the French and occupied by the Dutch before coming under Portuguese rule, has preserved the original rectangular street plan in its entirety. Thanks to a period of economic stagnation in the early 20th century, an exceptional number of fine historic buildings have survived, making this an outstanding example of an Iberian colonial town.