The city of Cachoeira is a National Monument.

The city of Cachoeira, in Bahia, is considered a National Monument, listed by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage in 1971.

Location and architecture

Located in the Recôncavo Sul, after Salvador, it is the city in Bahia with the most important collection of Baroque architecture and the largest independent cultural centre in Brazil.

Historical wealth

During the 18th and 19th centuries, the wealth generated by sugar cane and tobacco gave Cachoeira power and prestige, which was reflected in the refinement of the city’s architecture. -During the 18th and 19th centuries, the wealth generated by sugar cane and tobacco gave Cachoeira power and prestige, which was reflected in the refinement of the city’s buildings, considered at the time to be the second most important in Bahia.

Role in the War of Independence

Cachoeira, in Recôncavo Baiano, was the seat of government during the War of Independence. The battalions that fought in Salvador and Cachoeira against the attacks of the Portuguese were organised and trained there.

Among them was Maria Quitéria de Jesus Medeiros, who fought disguised as a man. Another illustrious daughter of Cachoeira was Ana Néri (1814-1880), the first woman to graduate as a nurse in the country, who participated in the Paraguayan War.

Economic importance

The city was also very important to the state’s economy because of its tobacco industry. From the second half of the 19th century, factories were built on the other side of the Paraguaçu River, where the city of São Félix is today, such as Vieira de Melo, Costa Ferreira & Penna, Dannemann, Suerdieck, Pimentel and Cia. de Charutos Pook, produced high-quality cigars.

After the end of the sugar cycle, at the beginning of the 20th century, the city began to trade in less profitable agricultural products. The expansion of the light tobacco industry (cigarettes) exacerbated the crisis by reducing the production of dark tobacco (cigars and cigarillos).

The only remaining cigar factory is Dannemann in São Félix, which focuses on exports.

Architectural heritage

In 1971, Cachoeira was declared a Historic-Artistic Site for its 18th and 19th century architectural ensemble in the Baroque and Neoclassical styles. Unfortunately, much of this heritage is in ruins and government investment in the restoration of these historic relics has been slow.

Recently, the Convento do Carmo, the Ordem Primeira do Carmo and the Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo have been restored. Work has also been carried out on the Church of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Monte Formoso (known as the Church of the Rosary of the Blacks).

Infrastructure and access

The iron bridge over the Paraguaçu River, linking Cachoeira to São Félix, was built at the behest of Emperor Pedro II, who imported it from England. However, the bridge is not in good condition and care must be taken when crossing it, whether by car or on foot.

Culture and Tourism

The city is famous for its many Candomblé terreiros (places of worship). Its religious festivals and juninas (June festivals) are monumental, with masses, processions, lectures, typical food and samba-de-roda. Don’t be surprised to hear visitors speaking French, English, Spanish, German or even Japanese.

During the festive season, everything gets crowded, but some locals rent out rooms in their homes. For more information, visit the Tourist Information Centre on Rua Ana Néri, next to the Matriz Church.

It is possible to reach Cachoeira by car, and buses run hourly from Salvador, where you can also book day trips to Santo Amaro, Cachoeira and São Félix, with a visit to the cigar factory.

Videos about history and tourism in Cachoeira BA

Tourist Attractions and History of Cachoeira BA

1. Hansen Bahia Museum
2. Mother Church of Our Lady of the Rosary
3. Our Lady of Good Death Brotherhood
4. Holy House of Mercy and St Barbara’s Chapel
5. Town Hall and Jail
6. Imperial Fountain
7. Church of Ajuda
8. Church of the Third Order of Carmel
9. House of Prayer of the Third Order of Carmel
10. Carmo Monastery
11. Dannemann Cigar Factory
12. Hansen-Bahia House

1. Hansen Bahia Museum

Karl Heinz Hansen (1915-1978) was born in Hamburg, Germany, and pursued a career as a visual artist in Sweden, where he held exhibitions and wrote film scripts. In 1950 he moved to Brazil, where he first worked in São Paulo. Later, enamoured of Bahian culture, he settled in the city of São Félix, where he adopted the name Hansen-Bahia.

A versatile artist, Hansen-Bahia worked in various fields such as painting, illustration, engraving, woodcut, sculpture, cinema and poetry. His work has been exhibited in important museums and galleries in cities such as Salvador, the Museum of Modern Art of Bahia, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

In 1967 he published an album of prints entitled Via Crucis do Alemão e Brasileiro (The Way of the Cross of the German and the Brazilian), with texts by Jorge Amado, dedicated to Mãe Senhora, the ialorixá of the Ylê Axé Opô Afonjá terreiro.

Hansen-Bahia’s works are exhibited in world-famous museums such as the Hermitage in Saint Petersburg, the Albertina in Vienna, the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, the Library of Congress in Washington, as well as in institutions in Germany and Israel.

2. Mother Church of Our Lady of the Rosary

The beautiful protected and restored 17th-century temple is notable for its porch covered in Lioz marble.

Inside, the Portuguese tiles that cover the walls are among the largest in the country.

The church also houses the Museum of Agricultural Tools, whose collection includes religious images, pieces of gold and silver, and religious vestments.

3. Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Good Death

The Brotherhood was conceived by black women, slaves who, prevented from practising their religion, formed an Afro-Catholic confraternity to worship Our Lady of Good Death, a figure who syncretised their gods and orishas.

To become a member of the sisterhood, women must belong to a candomblé house, which can be Gêge, Ketu or Nagô Batá.

At the Brotherhood’s headquarters, there is a chapel and a memorial containing photographs, objects used in African rituals and the picture of Our Lady of the Good Death, whose feast day is traditionally celebrated in the month of August.

4. Holy House of Mercy and Chapel of Saint Barbara

The Baroque building from 1734 houses the chapel with a rococo altar.

5. Town hall and prison

The restored 1698 building now houses the City Hall.

6. Imperial Fountain

Built in 1827 to supply the town with water, it is in neoclassical style. Its decoration includes seven gargoyles and the coat of arms of the Empire.

7. Church of Ajuda

The Church of Ajuda, also known as the Church of Boa Morte, was the first church built in Cachoeira.

Its origins date back to the construction of a small chapel in honour of Our Lady of the Rosary between 1595 and 1606. It was not until 1637 that the chapel was elevated to the status of a parish church in honour of Our Lady of Help, when the nave, choir, presbytery, sacristy and bell tower were rebuilt.

One of the secular highlights of the building is the primitive artistic painting on the dome, which has a red design on a light ochre background with black friezes. This painting is considered to be one of the first tempera paintings on mortar made in Brazil.

8. Church of the Third Order of Carmel

The construction dates from the early 17th century and has an interior lined with Portuguese tiles. The altars are baroque in style, reflecting the richness and sophistication of religious architecture of the period.

9. House of Prayer of the Third Carmelite Order

The architectural complex, which includes a chapel, dining hall, cloister and cemetery, was begun in 1702 on land donated to the Carmelites by Gal. João Rodrigues Adorno. The site currently houses a Museum of Sacred Art, which preserves and exhibits important works of religious heritage.

10. Carmo Monastery

As with the Carmelite convent in Salvador, the building has been converted into a guesthouse and restaurant, offering visitors an experience that combines history and culture with accommodation and food.

11. Dannemann Cigar Factory

Opened in 1873 by German Gerhald Dannemann, the factory continues to produce high quality cigars comparable to Cuban cigars, handmade by women who have passed on their knowledge from generation to generation.

The building that houses the Recôncavo Biennial also houses a cultural centre that promotes local art and culture.

12. Hansen-Bahia House

The House where the artist lived, preserved as he left it, is now a Museum with a collection of four thousand works, where the local population has access to artistic activities and courses. In the garden there is a memorial where the ashes of the painter and the remains of his wife, Ilse, are kept.

The space receives more than 10,000 visitors a year and the exhibition changes every year on 19 April, Hansen Bahia’s birthday. For those who want to take home a souvenir, T-shirts, DVDs and a catalogue of the works are on sale.

Bahia.ws is the largest tourist guide for Bahia, Salvador and the Brazilian Northeast.

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