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Salvador, Bahia

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Salvador is a large and busy city in Brazil.

Brazil Bahia Salvador location map
Brazil Bahia Salvador location map

It sits in the Northeast Region of the country. The city is built on a small piece of land called a peninsula. To the west, it meets the Bay of All Saints. To the east, it touches the Atlantic Ocean.

Salvador BA
Salvador BA

This special location makes it a very important place for travel and trade. The city is a major center for the state of Bahia.

Because of the land, the city has two different levels. There is an Upper Town and a Lower Town. These two parts are separated by a steep cliff called an escarpment.

Entardecer elevedor lacerda
Entardecer elevedor lacerda

To help people move between the levels, a hydraulic elevator was built in 1873.

Salvador Brazil skyline
Salvador Brazil skyline

This elevator was the first of its kind in Brazil. It still works today to connect the two parts of the city. The city also has many avenues that run through the valleys.

Salvador has a very long and interesting history. It was founded in 1549 by a man named Tomé de Sousa.

Tomé de sousa
Tomé de sousa

Because it was the first capital of Colonial Brazil, it is one of the oldest cities in the Americas. For a long time, it was a very important port for the sugarcane industry. The city even faced battles from the Dutch fleet in 1624.

Attack on San Salvador RMG BHC0268
Attack on San Salvador RMG BHC0268

Later, the capital of Brazil was moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1763.

Today, Salvador is a huge place with many people. In 2020, more than 2.4 million people lived in the city.

Av Paralela no Imbuí
Av Paralela no Imbuí

The wider metropolitan area, called "Great Salvador," had about 3,957,123 people.

Avtancredoneves23012011
Avtancredoneves23012011

The city is famous for its music and its huge Carnival. In fact, Guinness World Records calls it the biggest street party in the world.

Alexius Filhos de Gandhy Salvador Bahia
Alexius Filhos de Gandhy Salvador Bahia

It is also part of a special group called the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Visitors love to see the beautiful sights in Salvador. The Historic Center is a World Heritage Site.

Solar Ferrão fachada 2008
Solar Ferrão fachada 2008

It has old buildings and monuments from the 1600s to the early 1900s.

Igreja de São Francisco Salvador 2019-6929
Igreja de São Francisco Salvador 2019-6929

The city is also known for its Afro-Brazilian culture and tasty food. People enjoy the lovely beaches, like Porto da Barra.

Praia Farol da Barra Salvador 2017-12322
Praia Farol da Barra Salvador 2017-12322

From big sports events like the World Cup to its many universities, there is always something happening.

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🖼️ Images & Media (74)
File:Tomé_de_sousa.jpg
Tomé_de_sousa.jpg
File:Solar Ferrão fachada 2008.jpg
Solar Ferrão fachada 2008.jpg
Attack_on_San_Salvador_RMG_BHC0268.tiff
File:Salvador_Brasil_1875.jpg
Salvador_Brasil_1875.jpg
File:Campo Grande ssa.jpg
Campo Grande ssa.jpg
File:Brazil Bahia Salvador location map.svg
Brazil Bahia Salvador location map.svg
File:Skyline of Salvador, Brazil.jpg
Skyline of Salvador, Brazil.jpg
File:Ponta_de_Santo_Antônio.jpg
Ponta_de_Santo_Antônio.jpg
File:Av Paralela no Imbuí.jpg
Av Paralela no Imbuí.jpg
File:Catedral Basílica Salvador 2019-6527.jpg
Catedral Basílica Salvador 2019-6527.jpg
File:IURD Salvador.jpg
IURD Salvador.jpg
File:Casa de Oxumarê-13729.jpg
Casa de Oxumarê-13729.jpg

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