MANAUS, BRAZIL – The Amazonas Theatre in Manaus, capital of the state of Amazonas, and Theatro da Paz in Belém, capital of the state of Pará, were recognized on Monday (July 27) as UNESCO World Heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Both theaters have been listed as Brazilian national heritage sites by IPHAN (National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage) since 1960.

The nomination was submitted by IPHAN in partnership with Brazil's Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with support from the culture departments of the states of Amazonas and Pará.

The proposal was approved by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee during its meeting in South Korea. As a result, both theaters have been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List under the designation "Amazon Theaters."

Symbols of the economic boom driven by the rubber trade in northern Brazil during the 19th century, Theatro da Paz in Belém and the Amazonas Theatre in Manaus were inaugurated in 1878 and 1896, respectively.
The two buildings embodied a shared vision of urban modernization and the integration of the Amazon region into global commercial and cultural networks through its extensive river system. They became two of the first major opera houses in the Americas, attracting European companies for coordinated performance seasons in both cities.

Architecturally and artistically, the theaters combine imported materials and European influences with Amazonian timber and motifs inspired by the rainforest, creating an original aesthetic that is both cosmopolitan and distinctly Amazonian.

With the inscription of the Amazon Theaters, Brazil now has 26 properties on the UNESCO World Heritage List, including 16 cultural sites, nine natural sites and one mixed site.

Amazon Agency