Canudos State Park

This archaeological site spreads across 1,300 hectares of caatinga terrain where sparse plants, cacti, and bromeliads have adapted to the dry seasonal climate. A five-kilometer trail connects multiple archaeological locations, allowing visitors to explore the different areas and their findings.

The site preserves the battlefield from the War of Canudos in 1896-1897, when military forces fought against settlers led by Antônio Conselheiro. The northern portion of the original settlement now rests beneath the waters of Cocorobó Dam, built during the 1960s.

The name honors the community that once thrived here and whose memory remains woven into the landscape today. Visitors walking through the park encounter traces of past structures that reveal how people built their lives in this challenging terrain.

The park sits roughly 410 kilometers from Salvador and is reached via highway BR-235 on a paved road. Exploring on foot along the marked trail is the best way to see the different areas and archaeological features.

The northern portion of the original settlement vanished beneath Cocorobó Dam waters, making this place a split heritage. Visitors walking through often do not realize how much of this story lies permanently submerged.