Overview:

Cais do Valongo is an archaeological site located in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is named for the Valongo wharf, where African slaves arrived and departed during the transatlantic slave trade of the 18th and 19th centuries. Cadavers and other artifacts associated with the slave trade have been discovered at the site. The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. It is the first archaeological site associated with the slave trade in the Americas to be awarded this distinction. It is one of the most beautiful monuments in Brazil
Prominent Features:

1. Last Harbor of Enslavement: Cais do Valongo is a historical complex of significant cultural and archeological importance. It is the last known harbor of African enslavement in the Americas and a key reminder of the Atlantic slave trade in Brazil. 2. Landmark Immigration Hub: Cais do Valongo also served as an entry point for thousands of immigrants from Portugal, Africa, and the Middle East in the 19th and 20th centuries. 3. Memorial to Resistance and Rebellion: The site holds a special significance in Brazil's history and is a major memorial to African resistance and rebellion against enslavement. 4. Quay Buildings: Valongo is celebrated for its housing structures and quay buildings, including a storehouse and an old chapel. 5. Maritime Cultural Center: Recently Cais do Valongo became the country's first maritime cultural center. It has displays and exhibitions that showcase the history of African enslavement in Rio de Janeiro. You can learn history, culture, and heritage through these magnificent monuments in Brazil.

History:

The Cais do Valongo is located in the historic centre of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and is an important part of the city’s history. It served as a central hub for the African Diaspora in the city. The popularity of the Valongo port began with the arrival of the Portuguese in the mid-16th century and reached its peak in 1817 when Brazil abolished slavery. Between 1817 and 1890, more than 1 million enslaved Africans arrived in the city of Rio de Janeiro via Valongo. This unique port was a hub for the African Diaspora in this city and the first place many freed slaves called home. Valongo was also a center for the “MBE” (Movimento das Coletividades Africanas do Brasil) or the Black Movement of Brazil, whose articles of mission called for “the reunification of all freed slaves of Brazil, from all the former capitanias, which formed the Brazilian nation-state” (1818). Valongo has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017 due to its importance in the history of the African Diaspora. The legacy of the African Diaspora is continued to be celebrated and preserved in the city of Rio de Janeiro through the rituals and ceremonies practiced by the community. The port continues to be a source of pride and identity for the city’s African descendents. Visit one of the famous monuments of Brazil with your friends and family.

Interesting facts:

1. Cais do Valongo is the only archaeological site in Rio de Janeiro that was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2017. 2. Cais do Valongo is an archaeological site located at the harbour area of Rio de Janeiro. It is the most important physical manifestation of the African arrival in Brazil. 3. The archaeological site preserved several platforms and domains of the coloured people who were bound to donate colonial taxes or work in the sugar mills in the 19th century. 4. The site includes the area of Valongo, which was an old harbour area, and part of the Praça 15, where the slaves used to be sold. 5. In the Cais do Valongo, multiple objects and remains were found, such as cooking pottery, African artifacts, and remains of food and other debris that reveal the cultural and daily life of the African slaves. 6. The Cais do Valongo is also the starting point of what is known as "Rota do Escravo” or the Slave Route, which encompasses several sites that represent the arrival and presence of the Africans in Brazil. One of the historical monuments of Brazil, it tells the story of a bygone era