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Gonçalves Dias Square in São Luís do Maranhão

Gonçalves Dias Square was inaugurated in 1873 and is located on land belonging to the Order of São Francisco, on a promontory overlooking the Anil River, overlooking the São Francisco Bridge and the neighbourhood of the same name.

Location and characteristics

It is home to the Church of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios, with its exuberant Gothic architecture, and a statue of the Maranhão poet Gonçalves Dias.

The square was once called Largo dos Remédios and Praça Gonçalves Dias, but the lovers finally christened it Largo dos Amores. Inspired by the poet, lovers find in its gardens a fitting place for their passions.

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Praça Gonçalves Dias em São Luís

Cultural and Historical Interest

The Gonçalves Dias Square, located in the Alto dos Remédios neighbourhood, not only offers a beautiful view of the São Marcos Bay at sunset, with the mouth of the Anil River – which cuts through part of the city and whose source has barely been preserved – but is also famous as a meeting place for lovers in São Luís, earning it the title of Largo dos Amores (Lovers’ Square Square).

Nothing could be more appropriate for a place that bears the name of one of the country’s greatest poets, who once sang the praises of his homeland on the other side of the continent and fell in love with Ana Amélia, to whom he proposed, but whose proposal was vehemently rejected by her family because of the writer’s mestizo ancestry.

A monument with a statue of the poet has been erected in his honour.

Attractions of the square

The square also has many palm trees and a bandstand, where some artistic performances take place during the festivities of the Church of Remédios.

The church, located in front of the square, is the only Gothic church in the capital of Maranhão and was built in 1719 as a chapel.

A long staircase connects the square to another very important place in the capital: Praça Maria Aragão.

Around the square are other monuments that make the place even more beautiful, such as the colonial mansions, including the Cristo Rei Palace, built in 1877.

It currently houses the Rectorate of the Federal University of Maranhão (UFMA), which has a historical collection from the early days of the institution that can be visited.

The first owners of the palace belonged to a traditional Maranhão family, who later donated the building to the clergy, transforming it into the first seat of the Diocese of the Capital of Maranhão and later housing the old Faculty of Philosophy.

How to get to Gonçalves Dias Square

Gonçalves Dias Square – Largo dos Amores
Where: Remédios neighbourhood, at the end of Rua Rio Branco.

Conclusion

Praça Gonçalves Dias is an important cultural and historical space in São Luís do Maranhão, a place of encounter and inspiration, especially for lovers, as well as a celebration of the memory of one of the state’s greatest poets.

São Luís do Maranhão Tourist Guide

Written by Willy Sievert

Editor of Bahia.ws since its founding in 2009. Based in Salvador, he travels frequently across the Northeast and all of Brazil to keep the guides up to date. Learn more about Willy Sievert →

Published on 02/03/2017 · Updated on 03/06/2025

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