Dique do Tororó, Artificial lake in central Salvador, Brazil

Dique do Tororó is an artificial lake stretching about 2.5 kilometers through central Salvador with paved pathways ringing the water. The lake features dedicated cycling lanes and a running track for people to exercise.

The lake began as a defensive structure in the late 1600s that marked the northern edge of Salvador's Upper City during colonial times. It later transformed from a military boundary into a public space for recreation.

Eight large metal sculptures representing Candomblé orixás float on the water and glow at night. These works by Tatti Moreno serve as gathering places where local communities connect with their spiritual traditions.

Access the lake easily via Campo da Pólvora metro station or bus stops along Avenida Vasco da Gama. The flat, clearly marked paths work well for all ages and types of activity.

The lake is Salvador's only natural spring, and it is listed by IPHAN, Brazil's national heritage institute. A persistent local legend holds that Dutch engineers built it and that azulejo tiles line its bed; research in The Hague and a map found in 2022 traced the genuinely Dutch work to the smaller Dique Velho instead.