Teatro Amazonas, in Manaus Disclosure/Secretariat of Culture and Creative Economy The Teatro Amazonas, in Manaus (AM), and Theatro da Paz, in Belém (PA), were recognized this Monday (27) as world cultural heritage, according to UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). The two theaters had already been listed by Iphan (Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage) since 1960. The recognition proposal was formalized by Iphan in partnership with the Ministry of Culture (MinC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE), with the collaboration of the Departments of Culture of Amazonas and Pará, together. The candidacy was approved by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, in South Korea, and now both theaters are part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List, under the designation “Theatres of the Amazon”, alongside other Brazilian sites already recognized as World Cultural Heritage, such as the Plano Piloto in Brasília, Cais do Valongo, in Rio de Janeiro, and the historic centers of Olinda and Salvador. Teatro Amazonas is considered the most beautiful monument in Brazil, according to research Oldest in the Amazon, discover the history of Theatro da Paz, in Pará Theatro da Paz in Belém Reproduction/Theatro da Paz Shared history justifies joint candidacy Symbols of the economic boom generated by the extraction of rubber in the North of Brazil, in the 19th century, Theatro da Paz, in Belém, and Teatro Amazonas, in Manaus, were inaugurated in 1878 and 1896, respectively. Both represented the same urban modernization project and the insertion of the Amazon region, through its rivers, into global commercial and cultural circuits. They were two of the first great opera houses in the Americas, attracting European companies for combined seasons between the two cities. Architecturally and artistically, they mix imported influences and materials with wood and forest motifs, resulting in an original aesthetic, at once cosmopolitan and Amazonian. Conceived by an elite seduced by the ideals of the Belle Époque and built by local workers, over time the theaters transcended the purpose of their founders. In addition to opera shows, manifestations of Brazilian popular cultures and activities that today span diverse artistic expressions, from carimbó to jazz, from boi-bumbá to cinema, have gained ground, boosting the training of artists and technicians and tourist activity. They are civic and cultural landmarks of both cities, along with the squares around them – Praça da República, in Belém, and Largo de São Sebastião, in Manaus. Now, they officially become the first World Cultural Heritage Site in the Northern Region of Brazil. With the inscription of the Amazon Theaters, Brazil now has 26 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, of which 16 are cultural, nine are natural and one is a mixed site. Check out the complete list of Brazilian assets recognized as World Heritage, by date of inscription on the UNESCO List: Cultural assets: 1980: Historic City of Ouro Preto 1982: Historic Center of Olinda 1983: Ruins of São Miguel das Missões 1985: Historic Center of Salvador 1985: Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas 1987: Brasília 1991: Serra da National Park Capivara 1997: Historic Center of São Luís 1999: Historic Center of Diamantina 2001: Historic Center of the City of Goiás 2010: Praça de São Francisco in the City of São Cristóvão 2012: Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea 2016: Modern Ensemble of Pampulha 2017: Archaeological Site of Cais de Valongo2021: Sítio Roberto Burle Marx 2026: Teatros da Amazônia Natural assets: 1986: Iguaçu National Park 1999: Southeast Atlantic Forest Reserves 1999: Atlantic Forest Reserves of Costa da Descoberta 2000: Pantanal Conservation Area 2000: Central Amazon Conservation Complex 2001: Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves 2001: Cerrado Conservation Units: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks 2024: Lençóis Maranhenses National Park 2025: Peruaçu River Canyon Mixed properties: 2025: Paraty and Ilha Grande – Culture and Biodiversity Amazonas Theater undergoes maintenance, conservation and restoration services The oldest theater in the Amazon turns 146 years old: discover the history of Theatro da Paz, in Pará Teatro Amazonas shows signs of deterioration