Category Archives: Belém do Pará

The Theater of Peace – Belém

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Theatro da Paz was built following neoclassical lines, within the golden age of rubber in the Amazon Basin. It is considered the most important culture house in northern Brazil and one of the most luxurious theaters in the whole country. As one can see, it definitely stands out in the modern day city scenario as a beautiful relic of Belém’s past.

The theater originally sat 1,100 people (although today it seats 900) and the curtain was brought in from Paris while the entrance hall is made of decorative materials imported from various regions of Europe. Examples can be found in the English steel in the arcs of the doorways, an Italian marble staircase, French chandeliers and Portuguese stones on the floor. These days, one can find plays, philharmonic concerts and dance recitals going on by checking in with the theater’s calendar of events.

If you would like to see the Teatro da Paz (Theater of Peace) during your trip to Belém, you can find it in the Praça da República (Republic Plaza) in the Centro district. The street it is on is called Rua da Paz.

Smoking Ban to take effect in Belem

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After Sao Paulo, Belém has followed suit and will impose a smoking ban which aims to be more rigorous than that of the south-eastern city. In Belém, one won’t even be able to smoke at a bus stop, nor on the sidewalk in front of a bar or club. Such measures will be put into effect to help the majority, who according to the local councilman Carlos Augusto, are fumantes passivos (or, secondhand smokers).

Interestingly, a Federal law (9.296) from July of 1996 says it is prohibited to ban smokers from a location and that instead they should be given their own section to smoke away as they please. In Belém, the law still has another 60 days or so during which it is open to alterations.

In the Cafe Cosanostra in the neighborhood of Nazaré, said to be one of the most charming of the city, the clientel who came for cold beer, a good chat and a place to light up, now know they no longer can. Some have said they will just stop frequenting the bar.

80 years since Japanese immigration

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(Source)

“On September 16th, 1929, a ship named Manila Maru anchored at the port of Belém. On board were 189 Japanese – 43 families and 9 unmarried people. This month, when the arrival of the first immigrants to the region hits its 80th anniversary, the Japanese community in Belém will have a big celebration. It’s the third Amazon ‘Matsuri’, which in Japanese means festival. This year, as if it could be anything else, the theme of the party is ’80 Years of Japanese Immigration in the Amazon’. The lineup starts this Wednesday (the 16th) and goes until Friday (the 18th), in the Hangar Convention Center with presentations by a theater and drum troupe and of course, lots of Japanese food.” – Portal ORM (translated from Portuguese)

You can find amateur video of the drummers here and of the dance group here (although this one looks better)

The Consumer’s Belém – Shop ’til you drop

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If in Belém and in need of a cool place to escape the tropical heat (or the 2PM rain), you have a few options to choose from.

Shopping Pátio Belém

There’s the newly-named Shopping Pátio Belém (formally known during 16 years as the Shopping Iguatemi). Located in the Batista Campos neighborhood of the city, it is pretty centrally located and contains the niceties of most modern malls. Once there, you will find 222 shops and one megastore, a food court and 5 cinematic screens playing new releases, and a 5-story parking garage. Their address on a map is here.

Boulevard Shopping Belém

Yet to be completed, the Boulevard Shopping Belém has a completion date of November, 2009. Located a little bit North of central Belém in the Reduto district, it is only 2.4 miles from its competition. The mall will include 250 shops and 4 megastores, a food court, cinemas and a parking garage on par with the Shopping Pátio Belém. Their address on a map is here.

Castanheira Shopping Center


The first mall in the capital of Pará was the Castanheira Shopping Center located in the Castanheira district along the BR 316 (main highway into and out of Belém) on the outskirts of town. It has 153 stores, a food court and 7 cinemas, as well as ample parking. Their address on a map is here.

Now, if you are searching for a shopping district and not a shopping mall, try the Comércio neighborhood nestled in between Cidade Velha and Campina. For handmade crafts, I suggest visiting Ver-0-peso market.

Salinas – The way to go for weekend fun

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Salinópolis (or simply Salinas, to locals) lies 130 miles up the coast from Belém. It’s the place to be during the month of July (a month off for university students). All in all, there are 12.5 miles of salt-water beaches. The most frequented beach is Atalaia (pictured below), the best for surfing is Marieta, the oldest is Maçarico (although not used for taking a dip), and the most peaceful ones are Pilão and Maria Baixinha.


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Throughout the area, one will find rivers (both large and small), lakes, sand dunes and mangroves. One famous lake is called Coca-Cola Lake (pictured below, with people ‘snowboarding’ down the side) due to the sweet, dark and cold water found within. As for the beautiful views, ask around town for where to rent ultraleves (airborn crafts) and bugs (buggies) to take advantage of the area while you’re there.


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How to arrive/Where to stay

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(Here, you can see Belém in the corner and Salinas marked by an “A”)

As far as how to get there, there are a few options for the 3 hour trip. On wheels, whether by bus, van or car, it’ll cost you about $10. In the case you don’t have your own car, tickets can be bought at the main bus depot in Belém. Once there, you have a choice of hotels and pousadas (bed & breakfast) as well as renting a flat and even staying on a local farm. Important to note, be careful where you park your car, as the tide can change suddenly and you’ll find your car in the water.

The source for most of my information was found at ORM, although translated by me.

Ghosts taking taxis in Belém?

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I’ve come across an interesting story on a blog linking to a Swedish blog about a possible ghost story in Belém, known as the passageira fantasma (ghostly passenger). Although after searching for her name, I came up with nothing on Google…the information was as ghostly as the story that follows.

Apparently, among the taxi drivers, there’s knowledge of a woman (who might be named Severina Romana) who got a taxi at the cemetery and asks the driver to take her for a spin around Belém. Upon dropping her off back at the cemetery, she gives him an address, says it’s her parents place and to get the money for the ride tomorrow. The driver goes to the home to get the money the next day, and is met by a man who says the driver is mistaken. He lets him into his house to see photos of the man’s daughter and upon seeing them, the driver confirms it was her. The father says it is impossible because she died many years ago.

I don’t believe in ghosts but it’s an intriguing story. Maybe some of the taxi drivers know her real name, as it is also said that they light candles at her grave every year in Santa Izabel. Here’s the short story in Portuguese, confirming the urban legend, and yet another (in PT, albeit more embellished).

The 17th Century Comércio District – Belém

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(The Firefighters of Pará on João Diogo st. on the border of Comércio & Campina)

I was browsing the net, more specifically the site ‘SkyScraper City’, when I came across some photos of beautiful buildings in Belém. The district is called Comércio and is situated next to Cidade Velha (Old Town) in the heart of Belém. In fact, the district is the second oldest in the city and many of the buildings are dated from the 17th century, reflecting the architectural motifs of the time in Lisbon.

After reading through the comments on the site above, I found quite a bit of information. The main avenue of the district is Avenida Presidente Vargas, probably named so due to the fact that the president stayed in the old Central Hotel (now the omnipresent C&A store). The so-called ‘anchor’ of the entire area is the 4-story department store called Yamada Matriz (the fourth floor is the coveted toy store). If you are in Belém and hear someone say they are going shopping “pra baixo” or “em baixo” (below), they are refering to Comércio in downtown Belém.

Tourism in Belém is evaluated

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I’ve spent quite a bit of time covering places to go, things to do and what to eat without covering any local news. I’ve recently come across several news sites and thus will start to translate local stories here and there.

That being said, I would like to do a piece in the future, on the real state of tourism to Belém, including figures and facts on budgets, plans and numbers of tourists.

“Representatives of FGV (Getúlio Vargas Foundation) are in Belém this week to evaluate the political progress of the development of tourism in the capital.

The visit, that finishes up on the 17th of July, is part of a project by the Ministry of Tourism which selected the 65 main destinations for regional development in Brazil, including Belém. In a 2008 study by FGV, Belém showed to be a great potential within the industry.

This Monday (the 13th), the municipal coordinator of Tourism in Belém, Wady Khayat, was reunited at the headquarters of the Municipal Secretary of Sanitation with a representative from the FGV, to speak about the visit to the city and to the municipal institutions in the following days. Those from the office of the Secretary of Health (Sesma), Sanitation (Sesan), Education (Semec), Finance (Sefin), Eco-museum of the Amazon, CTBel (Transport Company of Belém) and Codem (The Metropolitan Area of Belém Development Company), and other agencies for the districts of Mosqueiro and Outeiro, were also at the meeting. Paratur (Tourism Company of Pará) was also invited to participate in the meeting.

In accordance with Belemtur’s Wady Khayat, the evaluation will look at the actions of the municipality of Belém in relation to tourism, in the areas of health, sanitation and infra-structure. ‘Don’t think of it as a competition between Belém and other cities. What will be seen, is what the municipality did to better receive the tourists. In a way, we are backing them in the search for resources and in the fight for definitions from public politicians within the Ministry of Tourism to prioritize our region. In April, we will receive the authorization to elaborate on our own projections with  Prodetur (Program of Development of Tourism), with tourism projects that have a budget of around US$ 50 million (almost 100 million reals)’, he explained.

The coordinator of Belemtur said that at least US$ 6.6 million, almost 13 million reals, are guaranteed for the allocation destined to the state of Pará for the Prodetur/PDITS. With these resources, the revitalization will be completed on the Steel Market, the Solar da Beira (a building near Ver-o-peso market) and the Municipal Market of São Brás.” – Source (translated from PT)

Batista Campos Plaza – The Best in Brazil

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The Batista Campos Plaza lies in the center of the city of Belém, in between the Old City and the Emilio Goeldi Museum. I would think it to be a top destination as in 2005, it won the “100 Most Brazilian Prize” from the magazine Seleções, for being the most beautiful plaza in the entire country.

In the 19th century, the land belonged to Maria Manoela de Figueira e Salvaterra, and because of this, it was known as the Largo da Salvaterra (Salvaterra Square). When the owner died, the land became property of the municipality of Belém, which named it Sergipe Plaza in honor of the new Brazilian province.

In 1897, during the government of the superintendent Antônio Lemos, the plaza began to honor the principal personality of the Cabanagem Rebellion: Priest Batista Campos, who died in 1834. In that era, the land was just a large square with some mango trees and a general gantry. Three years later, when it was inaugurated on the 14th of Feburary, 1904, it was already one of the most beautiful plazas in Belém.

Staying true to the plan for a ‘garden without gates’, the plaza has 14 entrances. Later on, the walkways of the plaza received reinvestments in the form of Portuguese mosaics with Marajoran motifs. The plaza has a bandstand, waterways, brigdes and it is surrounded by native trees.

In 1983, the Batista Campos Plaza was remodeled by the municipality. In 1986, new equipment was added while it went through a restauration in search of characteristics lost at the start of the 20th century (during the first reform).

The Bonde of Belém

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(Source – Praça do Relógio, 1905)

The first bonde (tram) company in the capital of Pará was organized in 1868 by the American Consulate in Belém and a businessman named James Bond. Because of this, local historians attribute the origin of the Brazilian term for ‘tram’. Interesting to note that most tram systems in Brazil were originally built by foreigners, principally Americans and Western Europeans.

The steam-powered tramways of Belém, one of the first in all of Brazil, connected the Largo da Sé with the Largo do Nazaré. They were inaugurated on the 1st of September in 1869, using three locomotives and two passenger cars, according to the American researcher Allen Morrison.

Bond sold his system in 1870 to Manoel Bueno, who formed the Companhia Urbana de Estrada de Ferro Paraense (Urban Railyway Company of Pará), and during the same year, the Bonds Company of Pará inaugurated its first line of animal-drawn trams (using mules).

By 1883, there were already  18.5 miles of lines, between steam-powered trams and animal-drawn trams. By 1907, the British had installed their own electric tram system in Belém and one year later, the mule lines ceased to operate. The Brits operated the system during its entire existence, even while observing strict rules such as not stopping its first class tram for underdressed passengers.

Later on, in the midst of the second World War, parts became scarce and the tramways began to fall apart, despite increased ridership in part due to 1909 fare prices not having changed. By 1947, the popular English tramway in Belém closed shop, and with it, one of the largest tramways in Brazil to go out of business first.

For some great shots of these trams, check out the slideshow here, with photos by Allen Morrison.

In recent years, there was a revival of the tramway system within Belém, which you can read about on Mr. Morrison’s site (which also contains writings titled “Part 1″ on the history of the tram systems in Belém.).