# List of World Heritage Sites in Brazil

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. Brazil accepted the convention on 1 September 1977, making its sites eligible for inclusion on the list.
There are 24 World Heritage Sites in Brazil, and a further 22 sites on its tentative list. The first site in Brazil, the Historic Town of Ouro Preto, was inscribed on the list at the 4th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Paris, France in 1980. The most recent site, the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, was inscribed in 2024. Among the 24 sites, 15 are listed for their cultural significance. Eight sites are listed for their natural significance, and one site, Paraty and Ilha Grande - Culture and Biodiversity, is listed for both. One site is transnational: the Jesuit Missions Guaranis is shared with Argentina. From 1999 to 2001, Iguaçu National Park was listed as endangered due to an illegally opened road through the park, dams on the river, and helicopter flights. Brazil has served on the World Heritage Committee four times.

## World Heritage Sites

UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.
World Heritage Sites :
| Site | Location (state) | Year listed | UNESCO data | Description |
| Historic Town of Ouro Preto | Minas Gerais | 1980 | 124; i, iii (cultural) | Ouro Preto, literally Black Gold, was the centre of the Brazilian Gold Rush in the 18th century. It was also the centre of the Inconfidência Mineira, the Brazilian independence movement in 1789. The gold deposits got exhausted in the 19th century and the city declined in importance, which helped in the preservation of its historic buildings and urban fabric. There are numerous Baroque churches, decorated by artwork by Aleijadinho, the most prominent sculptor and architect of Colonial Brazil, and ceiling paintings by Manoel da Costa Ataíde. |
| Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda | Pernambuco | 1982 | 189; ii, iv (cultural) | Olinda was founded by the Portuguese in 1535 and was one of the centres of the sugarcane industry, one of the key industries of Brazil for several centuries. After being looted by the Dutch in the 17th century, it was rebuilt and most of the historic buildings today date from the 17th to 19th centuries. There are numerous Baroque churches, convents, public buildings, as well as gardens with lush tropical vegetation. |
| Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Mini, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa Maria Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of São Miguel das Missões (Brazil)* | Rio Grande do Sul | 1983 | 275bis; iv (cultural) | In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Jesuits constructed several missions to the Guaraní people. The remains of five missions are listed as this World Heritage Site. São Miguel das Missões in Brazil (pictured) was listed independently in 1983 and the four missions in Argentina were added in 1984. The missions have different layouts and are in different states of conservation, they typically include the remains of churches and convents, plantations, and foundations of indigenous dwellings. The site in Brazil, although in ruins, constitute the most intact and complete structure among this period’s designated heritage properties, with remains of the church, the belfry, and some convent buildings. The general layout is still visible. |
| Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia | Bahia | 1985 | 309; iv, vi (cultural) | The colonial old town of the first Brazilian capital (from 1549 to 1763) and the site of the first slave market in the New World (1558), Salvador de Bahia has preserved many brightly colored Renaissance houses decorated with stucco work from the 16th to 18th centuries. A centre of the sugar industry and a major port, it was a meeting place of European, African, and American Indian cultures. Some of the prominent buildings include the Cathedral Basilica of Salvador, the Church and Convent of São Francisco, Salvador, and the Church of the Third Order of Mount Carmel. |
| Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos | Minas Gerais | 1985 | 334; i, iv (cultural) | The sanctuary complex represents the apex of Christian art in Latin America. The church, which is from the second half of the 18th century, is in the Baroque style with the interior in the Italian-inspired Rococo style. The church is approached by the path passing seven chapels with polychrome sculptures depicting the Stations of the Cross by the sculptor Aleijadinho. The outdoor stairway is decorated by soapstone sculptures of twelve prophets, also by Aleijadinho. |
| Iguaçu National Park | Paraná | 1986 | 355; vii, x (natural) | Iguazu Falls on the eponymous river span over 2,700 m (8,900 ft) and have a vertical drop of 80 m (260 ft). They are located on the border of Brazil and Argentina, where the area is protected as a separate World Heritage Site, the Iguazú National Park. The surrounding area comprises the Paranese subtropical rainforest, a part of the Atlantic Forest. The forest is rich in biodiversity and is home to large animals such as the tapir, giant anteater, giant otter, ocelot, jaguar, and jaguarundi. From 1999 to 2001, the site was listed as endangered due to an illegally opened road through the park, dams on the river, and helicopter flights. |
| Brasília | Federal District | 1987 | 445; i, iv (cultural) | As a part of his modernization project, President Juscelino Kubitschek decided to move the national capital to the newly established city of Brasília. The city was designed by the architects Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer and constructed between 1956 and 1960. The city plan follows the concepts of modernist architecture, as promoted by Le Corbusier, on a large scale, and adjusted to a setting in a tropical climate. Some of the important buildings include the Cathedral of Brasília (pictured), the National Congress Palace, and the Cláudio Santoro National Theater. |
| Serra da Capivara National Park | Piauí | 1991 | 606; iii (cultural) | The area of the national park has been inhabited for millennia and is one of the oldest archaeological sites in the Americas. There are over 300 sites with rock paintings (example pictured), some of which have been dated to be more than 25,000 years old. The age of these paintings revolutionized the classical theories of initial peopling of the Americas through Beringia. Excavations uncovered initial presence of hunter-gatherer societies and later ceramic-farmer societies. |
| Historic Centre of São Luís | Maranhão | 1997 | 821; iii, iv, v (cultural) | São Luís, originally founded as a fortress by the French in 1612, is a prime example of a Portuguese colonial town from the 17th century, with expansions in the following centuries. Due to a period of economic stagnation in the early 20th century, it has preserved the complete rectangular town plan and numerous historical buildings. Buildings in traditional Portuguese colonial architecture, adjusted to an equatorial setting, feature azulejo (ceramic tiles), crafted stoneworks, ornamented facades, and interior patios. |
| Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina | Minas Gerais | 1999 | 890; ii, iv (cultural) | The 18th century town of Diamantina, located in an inhospitable and wild mountain setting, attracted prospectors when diamonds were discovered in the area. The town preserves numerous buildings in Brazilian Baroque style, which are made of wood and more modest than in other Brazilian towns. The city illustrates the adaptations of European cultural models to Brazilian interior. |
| Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves | Bahia, Espírito Santo | 1999 | 892rev; ix, x (natural) | The site comprises eight protected areas with some of the last remaining Atlantic Forests. These forests, which were in the past connected via corridors to the Amazon basin ecosystem, show a very high animal and plant diversity with many rare and endemic species, including 21 species of marsupials, 21 species of primates, and 620 species of birds. Monte Pascoal National Park is pictured. |
| Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves | Paraná, São Paulo | 1999 | 893rev; vii, ix, x (natural) | The site comprises 25 forest reserves with some of the last remaining Atlantic Forests, one of the world's most threatened biomes. There are dense forests, mangroves, wetlands, coastal islands, Karst caves, and mountain peaks. The area is a biodiversity hotspot, with 120 mammal species and 350 bird species recorded, and with one of world's highest plant diversity. Numerous animal and plant species are endemic and several are endangered. Some of the species include the jaguar, ocelot, southern muriqui, Superagüi lion tamarin, and red-tailed amazon. Serra do Mar is pictured. |
| Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás | Goiás | 2001 | 993; ii, iv (cultural) | Goiás was founded in the 18th century by the bandeirante explorers as the first Portuguese settlement west of the demarcation line defined in the Treaty of Tordesillas. It was a mining town and it is the last remaining example of a settlement in Brazilian interior as practiced in the 18th and 19th centuries. It demonstrates the adaptation of a European settlement to the climate, topography, and cultural constraints of the region. Architecture is modest, with the use of locally sourced materials and vernacular techniques. Some of the important buildings include the Governor's Palace, the cathedral, and the foundry. |
| Central Amazon Conservation Complex | Amazonas | 2000 | 998bis; ix, x (natural) | This site comprises four protected areas in the Amazon basin. The landscape is constantly evolving due to the river action, with a mosaic of river channels, islands, and lakes. The area is one of the world's richest regions in terms of biodiversity. Ecosystems include periodically flooded várzea and igapó forests, dryland forests, swamps, and beaches. Animals that live there include the arapaima, giant otter, Amazonian manatee, black caiman, jaguar, harpy eagle, Amazon river dolphin, and tucuxi. There are also 64 species of electric fish. The Jaú National Park was listed independently in 2000. In 2003, the site was renamed to the current name and expanded to include the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, the Anavilhanas Ecological Station, and the Amana Sustainable Development Reserve. |
| Pantanal Conservation Area | Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul | 2000 | 999; vii, ix, x (natural) | This site comprises four protected areas in the Pantanal, one of the world's largest freshwater wetlands. In the wet season, the rivers of the Pantanal spill and flood vast areas, whereas the waters recede in the dry season and leave numerous temporary lakes. The floods allow fish to cross between river basins and to distribute nutrients. The area is home to numerous species of aquatic plants, such as water lilies, and they provide a stark contrast to the plants of the semi-arid landscapes of the neighboring mountains. Large animals that live in the park include the jaguar, giant otter, giant anteater, marsh deer, and hyacinth macaw. |
| Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves | Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte | 2001 | 1000rev; vii, ix, x (natural) | The Fernando de Noronha archipelago (pictured) and Atol das Rocas, the only atoll in the South Atlantic, are peaks of a submarine ridge and one of the few insular habitats of the region. As such, they provide an important habitat for tropical seabirds, nesting site for hawksbill sea turtle and green turtle, as well as feeding ground for fish and marine mammals. The islands support the only example of Atlantic Forest and the only oceanic mangroves in the South Atlantic. |
| Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks | Goiás | 2001 | 1035bis; ix, x (natural) | Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks (pictured) represent the Cerrado, one of the oldest and most biodiverse tropical biome in the world. The region has two well-defined seasons, dry and wet. There are frequent fires and the soil is poor in nutrients. This resulted in various adaptations of animal and plant species. Due to its central location and various altitudes, the two sites have served as refugia for species during periods of climate change. Large animals in the parks include the jaguar, giant anteater, giant armadillo, maned wolf, pampas deer, and rhea. A minor boundary modification of the site took place in 2019. |
| São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão | Sergipe | 2010 | 1272rev; ii, iv (cultural) | The square in the town of São Cristóvão is a rare example of urban planning during the time of the Iberian Union, when Spain and Portugal were united under a single crown in the 16th and 17th centuries. The buildings represent a fusion of both colonial styles. Buildings from the period include the Provincial Palace, the Church and Convent of Santa Cruz (pictured), and the Misericórdia Hospital and Church. The ensemble is surrounded by houses from the 18th and 19th centuries. |
| Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes Between the Mountain and the Sea | Rio de Janeiro | 2012 | 1100rev: v, vi (cultural) | Rio de Janeiro is located in a scenery of remarkable natural beauty between the sea and mountains covered by lush forests. This setting has shaped the development of the city and inspired arts, music, and literature. The World Heritage Site comprises properties of cultural landscape within and around the city, including the Tijuca National Park, the Botanical Gardens, established in 1808, Corcovado Mountain with the Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountain, and the Copacabana Bay. |
| Pampulha Modern Ensemble | Minas Gerais | 2016 | 1493; i, ii, iv (cultural) | The modernist urban project around the artificial Lake Pampulha in Belo Horizonte was created in 1940 by the architect Oscar Niemeyer, in collaboration with the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx and engineer Joaquim Cardozo. The complex comprised the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (pictured), the Golf Yacht Club, the Casino, and the Ballroom, the latter two now being used as a museum and an architecture reference centre, respectively. The garden city project, which explored creative uses of concrete and emphasized the interaction between buildings and the natural surroundings, was influential in shaping the architecture of Latin American countries. |
| Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site | Rio de Janeiro | 2017 | 1548; vi (cultural) | The wharf was built in 1811 in central Rio de Janeiro and served as the entry point for an estimated 900,000 African slaves to South America. The original Valongo Wharf was constructed on the beach with a paving of hewn stones of different shapes and sizes, in the so-called pé de moleque style. The Empress’ Wharf was constructed over it in 1843. The site was excavated in 2011 and made open to the public. The adjacent structures of the wharf, such as the warehouses, quarantine facilities, a lazaretto, and a cemetery, have either been lost or have preserved underground remains. |
| Paraty and Ilha Grande - Culture and Biodiversity | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo | 2019 | 1308rev; v, x (mixed) | This site comprises the historic centre of Paraty (pictured) and four protected areas with Atlantic Forests. The ecosystems span from the sea level to the rugged peaks of Serra do Mar above 2,000 m (6,600 ft). They represent a biodiversity hotspot with 450 bird and 150 mammal species. There is a high level of endemism. The town of Paraty was the end point of the gold route from the mines in the interior and the entry point for African slaves. The town has preserved most of its urban plan and colonial architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries. The cultural landscape of the region has been shaped since prehistoric times by the local Tupi–Guarani communities that relied on fishing. Later, the communities of escaped slaves, quilombolas, created their own culture. |
| Sítio Roberto Burle Marx | Rio de Janeiro | 2021 | 1620; ii, iv (cultural) | The estate in Barra de Guaratiba, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro, belonged to the architect and naturalist Roberto Burle Marx (1909–1994). As a landscape designer, Burle Marx was experimenting with the use of native tropical plants in modernist architecture. The estate hosts 3,500 species of plants, representing different biomes of Brazil, including the Atlantic Forest, mangrove swamp, and restinga, tropical sandy plains. The work of Burle Marx has influenced landscape designers in numerous tropical parks and gardens around the world. |
| Lençóis Maranhenses National Park | Maranhão | 2024 | 1611; vii, viii (natural) | The park is located on the coast of the Maranhão State. It comprises a vast expanse of sandy dunes with temporary and permanent lagoons. The interplay between rain and wind keeps evolving the landscape. As the park is located at the transition zone between the Cerrado, Caatinga and Amazon biomes, it is rich in biodiversity. |

## Tentative list

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. Brazil maintains 22 properties on its tentative list.