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Largo do Pelourinho

Coordinates: 12°58′18″S 38°30′30″W / 12.97167°S 38.50833°W / -12.97167; -38.50833
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Largo do Pelourinho
Praça José de Alencar
LocationSalvador, Bahia, File:Flag of Brazil.svg Brazil
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Interactive map of Largo do Pelourinho
Coordinates: 12°58′18″S 38°30′30″W / 12.97167°S 38.50833°W / -12.97167; -38.50833

Largo do Pelourinho (nicknamed Pelô and officially known as Praça José de Alencar) is a public square in the Historic Center neighborhood of Salvador, the capital city of the Brazilian state of Bahia.[1][2][3][4] By extension, the area surrounding it up to Terreiro de Jesus is also known as Pelourinho and forms part of the Historic Center of Salvador (CHS), a protected area recognized as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for its well-preserved Brazilian Baroque colonial architecture.[5][6][7][8]

The term pelourinho refers to a stone pillar, usually located in the center of a square, where criminals were publicly shamed and punished.[9] In colonial Brazil, however, it was mainly used to punish enslaved people, but also freed people.[10][11][12] Officially, it is named after José de Alencar, a writer specializing in indigenous themes (author of the trilogy consisting of the novels The Guarani, Iracema, and Ubirajara), Minister of Justice during the Second Empire, and a defender of slavery in Brazil.[13][14]

History

The history of the area surrounding the square has its origins in the early urban expansion of Salvador; thus, it is linked to the history of the city itself [pt], founded in 1549 by Tomé de Sousa, Brazil’s first governor-general, who chose the site of what is now Thomé de Souza Square [pt] for its strategic location, on high ground, close to the Port of Salvador and featuring a natural barrier formed by a steep rise in the terrain, a veritable wall up to ninety meters high and fifteen kilometers long, which facilitated the city’s defense.[15][16][17] The construction of the Jesuit High School [pt], the Old Cathedral of Salvador, and the Jesuit church that gave rise to the city’s current cathedral outside the walled area, beyond the North Gate, spurred urban expansion toward Largo do Pelourinho.[13] In the 17th century, the colonial administration ordered the construction of a new defensive structure, the Fortress of Santa Catarina (Second North Gate), in the Pelourinho area to defend against Dutch and French invasions at that point in the Taboão gorge, where there was a narrow strip of land near the sea.[17] With the wall demolished in 1790 and the 1808 Decree Opening the Ports to Friendly Nations [pt], the mansions in Pelourinho began to grow in size.[17]

It was part of the Freguesia da Sé [pt][18], and was primarily a residential area, where the finest homes were concentrated until the early 20th century, as well as serving as a commercial and administrative center.[17] Starting in the 1950s, the area surrounding Largo do Pelourinho underwent a severe process of decline, driven by the city’s modernization and the shift of economic activities to other parts of the capital of Bahia.[19][20] This transformed that part of the Historic Center into a neglected area, which gradually became a low-income residential neighborhood and a hub for the city’s Black culture.[21] This demographic shift transformed the area surrounding Largo do Pelourinho into a predominantly Black neighborhood over the course of the 20th century.[22][23] It gave rise to cultural and community groups based in the neighborhood that, in the 1980s and 1990s, became important political actors in Brazil’s redemocratization[24], such as Olodum.[25][26] Still in the 1980s, the Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado was established there, dedicated to the memory of the writer and his wife, Zélia Gattai and Bahian literature.[27][28][29]

Starting in the early 1990s[30], the Largo area was at the heart of the Historic Center’s revitalization process, which involved the expropriation of residents’ properties to make way for bars, stores, small businesses, and schools, as well as the restoration of building facades and structures.[23][31][32]

Largo do Peloruinho is also home to the Museu da Cidade [pt][33], which opened in 1973, the Casa do Benin [pt], a cultural center opened in 1988 that seeks to reflect the relationship between Bahia and Benin,from which people were trafficked as slaves to this part of Brazil, a forced migration that fostered cultural exchange between the two places[34], and the Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos, a Catholic church rooted in brotherhoods that served as a means of integrating Black people into society, since they were not allowed to attend the church of the slave owners; it was an exclusive place of worship for Black Brazilians.[35]

In 1996, American singer Michael Jackson filmed the music video for the song They Don’t Care About Us at Largo do Peloruinho with the band Olodum, directed by filmmaker Spike Lee.[36][37] During filming, the singer climbed onto one of the mansions, which was later rented by businessman Carlos Alberto. It became known as “Michael Jackson’s House,” and its balcony was turned into a tourist attraction featuring an image of Jackson that remained on site until 2026, when the space was closed.[36][38][39]

Following the 2007 film Ó Paí, Ó, two buildings located in the lower part of the square became well-known.[36] One of them is the tenement where, according to the film’s setting, most of the characters lived.[40] The other is the former Bar e Restaurante Ceará, which became known by the name of its fictional owner (Bar de Neusão) and served as the setting for one of the film’s classic scenes, in which several characters dance to the song “I Miss Her” by Olodum.[41][42]

TV Globo productions have also filmed on location there.[43] Scenes from Gilberto Braga’s soap opera Paraíso Tropical were filmed there in 2007.[43] In 2018, it served as one of the main settings for the soap opera Segundo Sol, written by João Emanuel Carneiro.[44][45] It was also one of the main settings for the miniseries O Canto da Sereia, based on the book by Nelson Motta and starring Ísis Valverde.[46][47]

The location was the setting for music videos such as Back in Brazil by British musician Paul McCartney[48], Mal Acostumbrado by Spanish singer Julio Iglesias[49], The Obvious Child by American Paul Simon[50], Me Gusta by Anitta[51], and Apaixonadinha [pt], by Marília Mendonça featuring Léo Santana and Banda Didá.[52] The place is also mentioned in the songs Menino do Pelô, a song by Daniela Mercury featuring Olodum[53]; Ladeira do Pelô, by Bamdamel[54]; Protesto do Olodum [pt], by Olodum[55], and Haiti by Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso.[56] In 2015, the band Babado Novo [pt] recorded the CD and DVD Ao Vivo no Pelourinho [pt], featuring a concert recorded at that venue.[57]

References

  1. ↑ "Pelourinho: a história do icônico ponto turístico em Salvador". Casacor (in português do Brasil). January 28, 2026. Archived from the original on September 4, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  2. ↑ Canofre, Fernanda (November 17, 2018). "Do largo da Memória ao Paissandu, passeio mapeia história negra em SP". Folha de S.Paulo (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on March 23, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  3. ↑ Talento, Aguirre (June 16, 2014). "Protesto contra a Copa vira atração para turista no Pelourinho". Folha de S. Paulo. Archived from the original on July 4, 2026. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
  4. ↑ Hopkinson, Natalie (January 29, 2016). "A passion for soccer helps unite one of the world's most diverse countries". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia". UNESCO. Archived from the original on August 30, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  6. ↑ Neto (May 30, 2025). "Pelourinho: patrimônio cultural no coração de Salvador". Correio Braziliense. Archived from the original on September 4, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  7. ↑ Kugel, Seth (January 14, 2019). "36 Hours in Salvador, Brazil". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 23, 2025. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  8. ↑ McOwan, Gavin (July 18, 2010). "Salvador, Brazil's real party capital". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on June 8, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  9. ↑ Rodrigues, Sérgio (July 12, 2012). "Do pilar ao pelourinho | Sobre Palavras". Veja (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on September 4, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  10. ↑ Antonelli, Diego (December 5, 2021). "Expostos à execração pública: a saga dos pelourinhos". Aventuras na História (in português do Brasil). Editora Abril. Archived from the original on September 4, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Fundação Palmares: Pelourinho pode ser referência para Cais do Valongo". Geledés - Black Women's Institute (in português do Brasil). April 12, 2023. Archived from the original on February 11, 2025. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ Andrade, Francisco (July 13, 2022). "De símbolos da opressão a padrões da liberdade: a preservação de pelourinhos coloniais e o apagamento da memória da escravidão (sécs. XVI-XX)". Revista de História (in português do Brasil) (181). São Paulo University: 1–37. doi:10.11606/issn.2316-9141.rh.2022.188402. ISSN 2316-9141. Archived from the original on September 30, 2025.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Franco, Tasso (November 8, 2017). "O LARGO DO PELOURINHO precisa mudar de nome. Conheça sua história". Bahia Já. Archived from the original on April 17, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  14. ↑ Bastos, Alcmeno (December 31, 2012). "Alencar e o índio do seu tempo". O Eixo e a Roda: Revista de Literatura Brasileira (in português). 21 (2). Federal University of Minas Gerais: 49–63. doi:10.17851/2358-9787.21.2.49-63. ISSN 2358-9787. Archived from the original on November 27, 2025.
  15. ↑ Oliveira, Alan (March 25, 2019). "De primeiro 'bairro' a foco do turismo: Há 470 anos, Salvador pulsa no Centro Histórico". G1 (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on November 14, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Tomé de Sousa funda Salvador". Universo Online (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on December 26, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 "Largo do Pelourinho – Pelourinho Dia e Noite". Pelourinho Noite e Dia (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on June 10, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  18. ↑ Reis, João (2003). "Largo do Pelourinho". Salvador Escravista. Archived from the original on April 20, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  19. ↑ Andrade, Francisco (July 13, 2022). "De símbolos da opressão a padrões da liberdade: a preservação de pelourinhos coloniais e o apagamento da memória da escravidão (sécs. XVI-XX)". Revista de História (181): 1–37. doi:10.11606/issn.2316-9141.rh.2022.188402. ISSN 2316-9141. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024.
  20. ↑ Ribeiro, Daniel (September 9, 2015). "Processo de gentrification no Pelourinho, Salvador – BA". Observatório das Metrópoles. Archived from the original on June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Pelourinho preserva história, cultura afro-brasileira e patrimônio em Salvador". Terra (in português do Brasil). July 29, 2026. Archived from the original on September 4, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  22. ↑ Anna, Mórcia Sant' (December 15, 2008). "A RECUPERAÇÃO DO CENTRO HISTÓRICO DE SALVADOR: ORIGENS, SENTIDOS E RESULTADOS". RUA: Revista de Urbanismo e Arquitetura (in português). State University of Campinas. ISSN 0103-1651. Archived from the original on November 23, 2024.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Lima, Eduardo (February 1, 2024). "A expulsão da população negra do Centro Histórico de Salvador". Le Monde Diplomatique (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on August 4, 2025. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  24. ↑ Collins, John (January 1, 2008). "A razão barroca do patrimônio baiano: contos de tesouro e histórias de ossadas no Centro Histórico de Salvador". Revista de Antropologia. 51 (1): 21–65. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024.
  25. ↑ "Olodum completa 45 anos de uma história que é símbolo da cultura baiana e da luta contra o racismo - Metro 1". Metro 1 (in português do Brasil). April 25, 2024. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  26. ↑ Paz, Dindara (February 9, 2024). "Som da resistência: músicas de blocos afro passaram pela censura por exaltar o povo negro". Alma Preta Jornalismo. Archived from the original on February 9, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Fundação Casa de Jorge Amado". Enciclopédia Itaú Cultural. Archived from the original on January 19, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  28. ↑ Sanbuichi, Débora Harumi Rodrigues; Melo, Thiago Sebastiano de; Prado, Marianne Vasconcelos (2025-08-12). "A BAHIA DE JORGE AMADO: DO UNIVERSO LITERÁRIO AO TURISMO BAIANO: UMA REFLEXÃO SOBRE TURISMO E LITERATURA". Revista Tamoios (in português). 21 (2). Rio de Janeiro State University: 22–35. doi:10.12957/tamoios.2025.90218. ISSN 1980-4490. Archived from the original on August 13, 2025.
  29. ↑ Cruz, Elaine (August 12, 2024). ""Jorge Amado mudou a vida de muita gente por seus livros", diz neto". Agência Brasil (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on March 3, 2026. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  30. ↑ Uriarte, Urpi. "Por trás das fachadas coloridas. Etnografias nos "novos" Bairro do Recife (Pernambuco) e Pelourinho (Bahia)". Ponto Urbe. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  31. ↑ Collins, John F. (2015-05-01). Revolt of the Saints: Memory and Redemption in the Twilight of Brazilian Racial Democracy. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-9570-6.
  32. ↑ Pereira, Sueli; Queiroz, Napoleão (October 15, 2014). "Gentrificação e reforma urbana: analisando as ações governamentais de gentrificação do pelourinho na cidade de Salvador". Catholic University of Salvador. Archived from the original on September 4, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Museu da Cidade". Guia das Artes (in português). Archived from the original on January 15, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Casa do Benin é reaberta em Salvador após restauração". G1 (in português do Brasil). August 5, 2026. Archived from the original on August 6, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  35. ↑ Lopes, Valdemiro (July 17, 2019). "História de resistência da Irmandade dos Homens Pretos homenageada na Câmara". Câmara Municipal de Salvador (in português). Archived from the original on August 4, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  36. ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 "Do bar da novela à sacada de Michael Jackson: conheça os efeitos das produções audiovisuais no cotidiano de Salvador". A Tarde (in português do Brasil). July 23, 2018. Archived from the original on August 10, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  37. ↑ Civita, Alicia (April 23, 2026). "Michael Jackson Brought Afrodescendants Across the Americas Together in 'They Don't Care About Us.' Now His Latino Nephew Picks Up the Torch in MICHAEL". Latin Times. Archived from the original on May 16, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  38. ↑ "Casa de Michael Jackson – Pelourinho Dia e Noite". Pelourinho Noite e Dia (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on June 15, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  39. ↑ Moratelli, Valmir (August 10, 2026). "O 'sumiço' de Michael Jackson da fachada do Pelourinho que intriga turistas". Veja (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on August 24, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  40. ↑ "'Ó paí, ó' conquista moradores do Pelourinho". O Globo (in português do Brasil). November 24, 2008. Archived from the original on August 10, 2026. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  41. ↑ Dias, Surenã (March 18, 2025). "Dira Paes visita 'Bar do Neuzão' no Pelourinho e relembra cena icônica de Ó Paí Ó; assista". Alô Alô Bahia (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on February 11, 2026. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  42. ↑ Galdea, João (March 10, 2019). "Bar de Neuzão foi proibido de se chamar Bar de Neuzão; conheça a história". Correio (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on August 10, 2026. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 "10 novelas que revelaram as belezas de Salvador". Salvador da Bahia (in português do Brasil). March 22, 2020. Archived from the original on January 29, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  44. ↑ "Elenco de 'Segundo Sol' grava no Rio de Janeiro após um mês na Bahia". gshow (in português do Brasil). April 12, 2018. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  45. ↑ Vincenti, Marcel (August 17, 2018). ""Segundo Sol": locais para visitar em Salvador, onde a novela é gravada". Universo Online (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on September 7, 2025. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  46. ↑ "Marcos Palmeiras grava 'O Canto da Sereia' em ruas do Pelourinho". Correio (in português do Brasil). November 9, 2012. Archived from the original on September 4, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  47. ↑ "Gravações da microssérie O Canto da Sereia movimentam Salvador". TV Globo (in português do Brasil). November 23, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  48. ↑ "Paul McCartney lança clipe filmado no Brasil". O Globo (in português do Brasil). September 8, 2018. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  49. ↑ "Julio Iglesias escolhe Pelourinho para gravar clipe com Ara Ketu". Folha de S. Paulo. August 8, 2000. Archived from the original on September 4, 2026. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  50. ↑ Soldatelli, Candice (February 22, 2023). "A era da indignidade artística | Pioneiro". Zero Hora (in português). Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  51. ↑ "'Me Gusta': Anitta se diz 'encantada' com gravações na Bahia". Universo Online (in português do Brasil). September 25, 2020. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  52. ↑ Rodrigues, Juliana (April 10, 2019). "Marília Mendonça leva multidão ao Pelourinho em show 'surpresa' - Metro 1". Metro 1 (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  53. ↑ Mariano, Agnes (2019). "A invenção da baianidade: segundo as letras de canções". Federal University of Bahia. Archived from the original on September 6, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  54. ↑ Júnior, Raulino (August 2, 2017). ""Vou subindo a ladeira do Pelô"". Professor Web (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on September 10, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  55. ↑ Vieira, Malu (February 26, 2025). "Histórias que cantam: com menções a AIDS e Apartheid, 'Protesto do Olodum' foi inspirada em notícias dos jornais". G1 (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on March 17, 2025. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
  56. ↑ Wyllys, Jean (2004). "Outro retrato em branco e preto (ou o contrário): Cidadania e violência em "Haiti", de Caetano Veloso". Inventário (2). Archived from the original on September 2, 2006.
  57. ↑ Faia, Amanda (January 19, 2015). "Mari Antunes comanda novo DVD do Babado Novo; assista a "Ao Vivo No Pelourinho"". POPline (in português do Brasil). Archived from the original on May 16, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2026.
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