Historic center of João Pessoa, Historic district in João Pessoa, Brazil

The Historic Center of João Pessoa covers 37 hectares across the Varadouro and Centro neighborhoods, with about 700 listed buildings. Its streets hold colonial townhouses, the Baroque Church of the Third Order of São Francisco, the Rococo Church of Nossa Senhora do Carmo and the Mannerist Church of the Misericórdia. On Praça Antenor Navarro, Art Nouveau and Art Deco facades from the 1920s and 1930s stand beside the old Hotel Globo.

João Pessoa, the city that contains this district, was founded in 1585 on the banks of the Sanhauá River as Cidade Real de Nossa Senhora das Neves. In 1588 it was renamed Filipeia de Nossa Senhora das Neves after King Philip, who then held the Spanish and Portuguese crowns. During the Dutch occupation it was called Frederikstad, one of the two main cities of New Holland. The name João Pessoa was adopted in September 1930 to honour the Paraíba governor assassinated that July in Recife.

The name João Pessoa, adopted in 1930, honours the Paraíba governor and vice-presidential candidate assassinated that year in Recife. In Praça Rio Branco, restoration work revealed the site of the colonial pelourinho, active between the 16th and 17th centuries, along with human and animal bones, oyster shells, and Portuguese porcelain. The Santa Roza Theatre, opened in 1889, has a Baroque interior and a Greco-Roman façade.

You can explore the district on foot, and guided walking tours are available to take you through the main historical buildings. Wearing comfortable shoes is wise, as the streets are cobblestone and terrain is uneven in places.

The Santa Roza Theater, opened in 1889, ranks among the oldest theaters in the country and features Baroque architecture with a Greco-Roman façade. The venue has hosted performers across generations and remains an important cultural hub for the city.