It was night when our ferry approached the port city of Belém. Bright lights along the riverbank illuminated the towers of a church as well as historic buildings and a lively market. It made us excited to explore this city in the daylight.
Since its nickname is Cidade das Mangueiras which translates in English to City of Mango Trees, we expected to see a lot of mango trees in Belém. Nothing could have prepared us though for the shear number of mature mango trees there are in the city. Not only is every street lined by trees, in Belém they are lined by mango trees. Richard called them Belém’s weed.
Most of the trees were filled with mangos just waiting to ripen. On many, the fruit was growing in clusters like grapes, something we had never seen before. In places there were ripe mangos lying on the sidewalks. We saw locals collecting them, so we grabbed a couple for ourselves. They were juicy and delicious and became the first of many that we collected off the sidewalks in Brazil.
Belém is located on Pará River, not far from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Amazon River. This meant that it was a very important port city during Brazil’s rubber boom in the late 19th century. It became the financial centre of the rubber industry and made a lot of foreign merchants in Belém very wealthy. These affluent elites built many opulent buildings including mansions, stores, warehouses and a theatre. Materials were imported from Italy, France and England to decorate and furnish them in typical styles of the European elite.
Theatro da Paz (Peace Theatre)
Built roughly 20 years before the Teatro Amazonas in Manaus (read our story here), Theatro da Paz has a similar look. It’s not as ornate as the one in Manaus but does have a stately feel with its exterior peach stone walls and elegant white columns.
Inside it is as regal as it is from the outside. Most of the theatre is still in its original condition so it was easy to imagine how it looked in its heyday. A grand marble staircase leads you from the lobby up to the first floor. The walls are decorated with what looks like elaborate wallpaper, but is actually hand painted designs.
In the lobby we looked at the original seating chart which seems a bit disorganized. You would think that seats 1 and 2, 3 and 4 etc. are side by side, but they’re not. Even numbered seats are on one side of the aisle and odd on the other. It would make buying 2 or more seats beside each other a little more work than usual.
On the upper levels the wooden floors catch your eye. Acapu and yellowwood are set in a design meant to represent a Swastika, the Hindu symbol of peace to match the theatre’s name.
Inside the Auditorium, three tiers of balconies wrap around the stage. It was easy to imagine wealthy rubber barons watching a show from the original straw seats. A ballet was rehearsing in the auditorium so we sat down and pretended we were those barons for a few minutes.
The centre of the ceiling has a large mural that is said to depict the Greek God Apollo interacting with indigenous Amazonians. The interesting detail in this theatre compared to Manaus is that each private balcony has its own muraled ceiling.
Tours are held everyday except Monday and are only in Portuguese, but theater staff have written copies of the text in English. The tour lasts about 30 minutes and is free.
Praça da República (Republic Plaza)
The park around the theatre, is called Republic Plaza. It is of course, filled with mango trees loaded with fruit. Taking our attention away from the trees though were a couple of lovely colonial buildings used by theatre companies. At the entrance to the park is a large, ornate Greek styled gate and archways. The Greek theme seemed a bit out of place with the rest of the architecture, but matches the theatre’s ceiling I guess.
Forte do Castelo (Castle Fort)
When the Portuguese first arrived to this area in 1616 they established a fort and a settlement along the river and called it Feliz Lusitania. Today this small historical area is being revitalized. The first building the Portuguese established in Feliz Lusitânia was Castle Fort along the banks of the river. The fort was built to protect the new city from English and Dutch invaders. There’s not much left of the fort today but it still has original stone walls that you can walk on for a nice view of the river, the cathedral and the historical centre.
We thought there was an entry fee, but on the day we were there it was is free.
CATEDRAL NOSSA SENHORA DAS GRAÇAS (OUR Lady of Grace Cathedral)
The other main building in Complexo Feliz Lusitânia is Our Lady of Grace Cathedral. Built in 1755 the large church has a plain white exterior with typical Portuguese bell towers. Inside though it is a jaw dropping site with a long, high arched ceiling that is decorated with beautiful paintings. The alter is made of marble and alabaster and is elaborately sculpted. Both walls leading to the alter are sectioned into 10 individual stations each with a large painting. In the middle are two beautifully hand-carved wooden pulpits. It is a stunning building.
In sharp contrast, many of the other old buildings around the cathedral, including the one right beside it, are in ruins.
In front of the cathedral is the small Praça Frei Caetano Brandão (Friar Caetano Brandão Square) with the manicured hedges. Across from the park is another beautiful historic church. Igreja e Colégio de Santo Alexandre (Church and College of St. Alexander) is a former Jesuit complex, which operates today as a museum.
Historical Centre
Wandering around the historical centre we found many beautiful Portuguese-style buildings. One of the nicest is Palacio Antonio Lemos. Even though it is being renovated we could still see a lot of its beautiful details above the construction wall.
Most of the buildings in this part of the historical district date back to the rubber boom. By the early 1900s though, Brazil had become too expensive and too far away from Europe so alternative locations were sought out. The solution was to steal seedlings from Brazil and plant rubber tree farms in Malaysia. This quickly put an end to the economic boom in Belém and Manaus. After this downturn in the rubber market, many of the extravagant buildings suffered from neglect. Today they are a worn out shells of their former selves. It was a little sad to walk through the historic centre because for every renovated gorgeous old building there are many more in disrepair.
Mercado Ver-O-Peso (Check The Weight Market)
Markets in South America are often lively spots where you can feel the energy of a city. Brazil is no different. In Belém the main market is held in a shabby looking historical building along the river, not far from the port. We were warned by a few people ahead of time to be extra vigilant at the market because robberies are very common. As we were walking toward it, a local man saw Richard’s camera and made a point of telling us to keep the camera well hidden when inside or even on the streets around the market. Because of this we don’t have pictures of the market’s interior.
Our main reason for going to the market was to buy more Brazil nuts. The market is very large and it took us a while to find them. We passed through different sections that sold fish, meat, cheese, fruits, vegetables, crafts until finally we found the nuts. We bought 1 kilo of Brazil nuts or castanha-do-Pará as they’re called in Brazil, for R$30 ($5.70 USD), even cheaper than they were in Manaus!
Across from the market is a small port and clock tower. Porto Ver-O-Peso was filled with fishing boats that had just arrived back to port from their early morning catch. On the far side of the port are colourfully decorated old buildings. From a distance they looked wonderful, but as we got closer we saw they weren’t in very good condition.
Estação das Docas (Docks Station)
Only a couple of blocks away, but yet miles apart in comfort, the old docks have been converted to a new trendy restaurant row. Docks Station has a long boardwalk along Pará River. On the other side are dozens of patios from upscale pubs and restaurants. It was nice to be able to let our guard down and have a beer looking out onto the peaceful river.
Mangal das Garças (Mangrove of Herons)
Although we are not lovers of zoos, Mangal das Garças does it much differently. It is more like a combination botanical garden and bird sanctuary than a zoo and makes you feel as if you’ve left the city. The park is filled with large trees from the surrounding Amazon forest, native flowers and several types of local birds. Large ponds are fenced in to keep the birds safe, but the birds are free to go where they like. Wild birds often stop in for a few days and are welcomed by staff. It is a peaceful area where we could see many interesting birds up close.
Even though there were safety concerns and dilapidated buildings in downtown Belém, there are many areas that are very nice and we actually really enjoyed Belém. The part of town where we stayed was safe and it was very pleasant to walk along the mango tree-lined streets.
Safety in Brazil
We are usually careful when we travel but in some parts of Brazil, including Belém, we were extra diligent. We never travel with valuables such as jewelry and try to dress so we fit in as much as we can. Mobile phones are very popular to pick-pocketers and ours were always kept in zippered pockets or bags. We don’t carry large amounts of cash and only show small bills when shopping. Our most valuable item is the camera which is kept well hidden in a weathered camera bag and only brought out for short times when being used. In busy places such as markets there are more likely to be pickpockets so you need to be extra careful. In large cities, most tourist areas are safe during the day, but it is often not recommended to walk at night, especially alone.
How to get to Belém
Belem has an international airport and a large bus terminal. But many people, including us, arrive in Belem by Ferry. (read our story here)
Coming Next – Historical Buildings of São Luis
For pictures from other blogs go to Gallery at monkeystale.ca
To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.
If you like what you read, please comment or share (with credit) using the links below.
Monkey's Tale 
Excellent post. Mango trees are growing abundantly in my native state and other states of India🙂
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I remember having a lot of mangos on India too, but from markets. 😊 Maggie
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The architecture is absolutely stunning. There are a few items that made me think “hmm”. One was that ornate mailbox. The others were the yellow, tall-legged construction cranes. I’m jealous about the mangos. They cost an arm and a leg here in the middle of the U.S.
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The tall yellow cranes are to load ships because it used to be an old port. We only saw a couple of thoe old mailboxes in Brazil, they’re so perfect. 😊
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A marvellously colourful selection of images here!! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
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Thank you! Maggie
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You are very welcome! It is a good pose to read and enjoy on a cold wet day!! 🙂
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Here, it’s just cold. 🙂
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Hope you manage to stay warm! 🙂
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I am really loving your series in Brazil and seeing so many different places in such a diverse country. Mangos to pick up and eat from the sidewalk sounds amazing. The theater is stunning- although good thing they provide a seating chart so you know how to sit together in such a confusing layout. The city seems such a wonderful mix. Also, great safety tips for traveling there. 🙂
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Thanks Meg, it really is a wonderful city. Having that many trees makes such a difference in a city looks and feels. And who wouldn’t love picking up mangos off the street! The seating chart was the strangest thing, who thought of that layout?! Maggie
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I think I’d likely pick up about a three mango a day habit there.
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🤣🤣🤣
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Oh, my! So much beauty. The architecture of the auditorium is amazing. I didn’t realize that mango trees could grow so big. Thanks for the tour. 😊
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The auditorium is a gorgeous building. The mango trees were huge and provided great shade on the streets and sidewalks. They’re actually a nice tree. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Pepper, Maggie
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A full tour of the city. That’s a lot of mango trees! And, yes, the fruits fall to the ground.
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It was great to be able to walk on the sidewalk and find fresh fruit!! 😊 Thanks for your comments, Maggie
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I’d never considered that a swastika has more than one meaning; interesting. The theater building is stunning, I can’t believe the level of detail. I also really like the photo of the bright red ibis!
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Yes I guess Hilter liked the image, put it on a tilt and drastically changed its meaning, but it’s been a Hindu, and I think Jain and Buddhist, symbol for centuries. The ibis really is that bright of a red, it’s gorgeous. Have a great day Diana! Maggie
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That’s really unfortunate that it will be forever associated with him now
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I love mangos and would be in my element picking them up from the streets like that! The old buildings are so picturesque, even the ruined ones, and I love that red ibis!
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It was so great to be be to pick up fresh mangos off the sidewalk! The red ibis is so beautiful and such a bright red! I’d never seen one before.
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What a beautiful city. What happens to all those mangoes when they ripen. Are locals allowed to pick what they need? Do bats, birds and animals feast on them? The theatre is beautiful, but the seat numbering would be confusing alright. Thanks for sharing Maggie. Allan
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In most places we saw people picking them off the street but not off the tree. But even with the thousands of mangos that we saw we only saw a couple of rotten ones. We didn’t see birds or animals eating them but they must. Thanks for your comments Allan, Maggie
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Another outstanding post , Maggie
You outdid yourself once again with these stunning images ❤️
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Thank you so much Luisa! Maggie
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As ever, you are more than welcome, dear Maggie ❤️
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Such a fascinating place. Love all the mango trees. They look so healthy. Also love the theatre. I was in one in Montreal that was numbered like that. It was very confusing. There are so many beautiful things to see in that city. Hopefully they will continue to slowly revitalize it.
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That’s funny that a theatre in Montreal has similar disorganized seating! I hope more money will flow into the city and clean up some of the old buildings, it could be a really beautiful city. Thanks for reading 🙂 Maggie
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The moment is approaching (Iguazu, Santos, Rio, Salvador da Bahia, Recife, Fortaleza, Icoaraci (Belem), Santarem, Boca da Valeria, Manaus, Parintins, Alter Do Chao). Any advice is welcome. Any issues related to health protocols in Brazil, COVID issues? I have to choose the local excursions as well.
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There weren’t ANY Covid protocols when we were there (Sept to December) and only in a few places did people wear masks. Here are a few ideas, Iguazu – take the helicopter and if you can sit in the front seat, the walkway on the Argentine side is closed so we didn’t bother going; Rio- watch the weather and sky around The Redeemer, it’s often very foggy and you can’t see the statue or the views, if you have a few days we loved Buzios; Sao Paulo (and to a lesser extent Recife) downtown is very sketchy but go in the daytime, keep camera, phone etc hidden and be aware and you’ll be fine. We didn’t spend anytime in Santarem but loved Alter, we didn’t stop in any of the Amazon towns; if you have to chose Olinda is nicer than Recife Old Town but both are worth it; Fortaleza was just a beach rest stop for us, Jericoacoara is a nice beach town but you would need a couple of days. Download Google Translate and Portuguese 😊 If you have specific questions about a side trip send me a message. Maggie
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I also just thought, there are often free concerts at the Theatre in Manaus. They have a website with dates of performances.
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Of all the trees in the world, I think I would have chosen mango trees to line the street I live on. What a wonderful thing to be able to just pick up a few perfectly ripe mangoes off the pavement. Very interesting and attractive city architecturally.
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Or one mangos and the next avocados! We really like Belém partly for the old architecture but probably more for all of the trees. Have a great day Leighton! Maggie
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So interesting to learn about Belém. I’ve travelled through Portugal so it’s fascinating to learn of the similarities here.
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You can see a lot of the Portuguese influence throughout Brazil, especially in the architecture. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts, Maggie
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I think I would love this city! The architecture looks amazing!!
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Not a place where milk and honey flow, but where sidewalks are filled with mangoes. Incredible! I, too, would have eaten my fill. And gone on to admire the birds at the Mangal from up close.
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Exactly, the mangos were amazing and the birds were a great surprise too! Thanks for commenting Tanja! Maggie
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Mango Tree reminds me the name of a hostel in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro; indeed there was a mango tree in the courtyard and when a fruit fell, it was better not to be under it. Belém has a spectacular and unexpected architecture.
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Yes the Mango drops suddenly and hard. Belém was a great surprise to us too, we really enjoyed the colonial buildings and of course the mangos! Maggie
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I think that I mentioned that Brazil has more bigger cities along the Amazon than Peru that besides Iquitos, there is nothing that compares Iquitos. By the way in Iquitos there’s a district named Belen (Belem in Portuguese). I love mangos!!. Thank you, Maggie. Lovely post! 🙂
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That’s funny, it means Bethlehem and there are a few cities named Belém in Brazil, maybe a few in Peru too! We’ve been to Iquitos but not to Belen. The mangos were delicious 😊 Thanks for adding to the story. Maggie
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Stunning photos and great advice
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Thank you!!
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Don’t suppose you could send be a box of those mangos?
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Haha I wish I could!!
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Great, Quality Content for The Ultimate Tour Guide, A lot of thanks for sharing, kindly keep with continue !!
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Thank you!
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The colonial buildings and the theatre are remarkable and the city itself has its own charm. Its really sad to see some of this beautiful buildings in the state of despair. For me the best part of Belém is the mango trees and that too laden with fruits. 🙂
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Hopefully they can restore some of the old buildings, it would be such a beautiful city. The mangos were amazing, and they are everywhere! Maggie
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Another fascinating and intriguing destination guys. Mangoes are to Belém what oranges are to Seville….except eminently more edible. As others have said, the architecture is spellbinding and would have us transfixed for hours. And no cramped hammock spaces this time either!
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No hammocks! We slept in a very comfy bed!! And no one was rocking into me! The mangos are very edible, we sampled quite a few to be sure 😊
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I love when we are able to pick some well ripen fruits and try the fresh texture right on the spot, I would have loved to try a mango😊
Lovely tour, and very interesting! Have a great day, Christie
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Some of our fondest memories from traveling are finding fruit trees or bushes loaded with ripe fruit. We ended up finding Mango trees through Brazil but no city has nearly as many as Belem. Thanks Christie, Maggie
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It’s so beautiful – that theater is breath taking. Colonialism really did provide some beautiful buildings, not that that makes up for all its absolute and inexcusable horrors.
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It’s true they certainly did leave many beautiful buildings and squares in these countries and we love visiting them. You’re right, I don’t think we even know half of the atrocities they did to the locals. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Hannah.
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I have always found mangos to be a bit complicated to cut, but with so many available, I think I’d quickly get the hang of it! A beautiful city and another beautiful post. Thanks Maggie!
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Richard has become a Mango cutter/peeler pro 😊
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Ash, that would be helpful!
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brilliant what an unexpectedly grand city. the theatre us out of this world! Great post guys. In Rio I kept my camera in my bag when I wasn’t using it, but to be fair didnt feel brazil was more dangerous than other south american countries. Actually the one place i felt on edge was BA.
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In general I think you’re right, it’s more safe than many countries in SA, but there are a few cities, especially their historic centres, that are among the worst I’ve seen anywhere. A few in the north as well as Sao Paulo are much worse than Rio. At least from what we saw.
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Yes, I think I’d heard that before – that the swastika was actually a positive symbol and the Nazis corrupted it.
I can’t imagine just walking along and picking up edible fruit off the street!
How nice that so many locals forewarned you about theft. It’s a good reminder that there are more good than bad people in the world.
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We definitely found that there are more good people in Brazil than bad, but getting those warnings are a bit scary. Especially when they go out of their way to warn you. Picking mangos off the sidewalk was the best! And of course they’re so much better than what we can buy here!
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I love how Belém is filled with mango trees since it is one of my favorite fruits. Now that I think of it, it’s interesting how the city’s gradual decline began when rubber plants — native to this part of the world — were introduced to Southeast Asia, while on the other hand Belém is now home to a lot of trees of a fruit that is native to South and Southeast Asia! The seating number arrangement got me thinking, why did they create such a complicated way of numbering?
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That is funny, there are mangos everywhere in Brazil so I thought they were native, but I just looked it up and in fact the Portuguese brought them from India in the 16th century! At the same time they took cashew trees from Brazil to India. I can’t imagine why someone thought that seating arrangement was a good idea. It would be a nightmare to buy tickets and then to find your seat!!
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You got us at mangos, our favorite fruit. The seating chart for the Teatro is baffling. Love your photography.
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If you go north you will see A LOTof mango and cashew trees! 😊 I don’t know how anyone found their seat, it must have delayed the start of many performnaces, very bizarre.
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Fascinating city and your images show many different facets. And mangos galore- delicious fruit. Thanks for sharing your adventure there.
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Thank you so much Jane, we were surprisingly impressed with Belém. Maggie
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Nothing like a properly ripened mango. But I suspect, in season, one could get tired of them if they’re so common you can pick ’em up off the sidewalk.
That gorgeous theater does have a strange seat numbering system. But maybe they’re onto something – they could have a lot of odd people. Kind of reminds me of Congress; more theater than reality, and a high proportion of oddballs.
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Hahaha yes and then all of the oddballs would be sure to sit together! I guess people would get sick of mangos but they didn’t sit on the sidewalk for long so someone is eating them, or selling them in the market.
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I’ve never actually seen a mango tree in person before. The mango trees that line the streets in Belem look massive. Good for you for grabbing a couple of ripe ones lying on the sidewalks. The Mangrove of Herons looks like a great spot to go birdwatching.
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If I was under those mango trees, I would die and go to heaven from eating too much of them! I certainly understand the use of swastikas in that theatre, but I doubt others would. Btw, I hope you can see my comment now, but I did change my username
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Got your comment! We had so many mangos in Brazil but Belem was a great introduction to picking them off the sidewalk!! 😊 Maggie
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**died and gone to heaven!**
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What a city of contrasts! Simply fascinating. Thanks, Mel
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What a wonderful place, Maggie. Loved all the shots, especially the cathedral and all the painted buildings/boats. Animal shots are great too – much better than my recent ones…😂
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Thank Kerry, Well, I guess the birds weren’t behind a fence or screen 🙂
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Methinks you are much more talented with a camera…😁
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It’s wonderful to read your impressions of a city close to my heart 🙂
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Oh do you have family in Belém?
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No, I don’t. During the years I lived in Brazil, I spent time there.
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Oh I didn’t know you lived there. We absolutely loved Brazil and could see buying a place in a couple of spots. 😊
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My sons and I lived for seventeen years in Fortaleza, Ceara, Northeast Brazil.
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Oh wow, we visited Fortaleza, but it was mostly a quick stop between the beach towns Jericoacoara and Pipa. I hope you like my next few posts as we travel the coast on either side of Fortaleza. I’m guessing you speak Portuguese, that would have been a big help 😊
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This brings memories back of our visit there. Such an incredible city you visited. And wonderful photos. Anita
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Thanks Anita!
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One wonders how they brought all those building materials for those structures on boats. Love the flamingos and tucans.
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I know, they must have really thought they needed the imports. Crazy! The park was a great find! Maggie
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Beautiful colonial buildings that look historic. Is mango indigenous to South America, just curious.
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I had assumed they were because there are so many mango trees in South America, especially in Brazil, but from Bama’s comments I researched and found out that the Portuguese brought mangos from India in the 17th century and took cashews from Brazil to India at the same time. 17th century globalization.
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Thanks for sharing this information. Well, we know there are many things that Portugese introduced to India. Potatoes is one of the most prominent thing. A lot of Indians think potatoes are indegenous to India but it is not.
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Potatoes must be the most widely spread Peruvian export. I think they can be found in every country in the world. And they’re a staple in most diets around the world.
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Yes. you are right. It is truly a world food, now!
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