As part of a 6-week tour of Brazil in January-March 2011 (July ’12, pg. 29), we spent several days in São Luís, capital of the state of Maranhão. Our guide, Juan Pitacco (jmpitacco@hotmail.com) took us on a walking tour of Praia Grande, the historical city center.
At the Palácio dos Leões, which now houses state government offices, Juan gave us a rundown of the city’s history. The palácio is built on the site of Fort St. Louis, built by the French when they settled there in 1612 under the leadership of Daniel de la Touche. São Luís was named to honor King Louis XIII.
Within four years, the Portuguese had ousted the French. The Dutch then occupied the city between 1641 and 1644, years of constant warfare with the Portuguese, who eventually claimed São Luís in 1645. These final settlers became rich due to their development of sugarcane and cotton plantations worked by African slaves.
Perhaps a bit homesick for their homeland, Portuguese colonists imported blue and yellow ceramic tiles from Europe and Britain to clad their impressive grand houses. The tiles are not only beautiful but act as insulation in the hot climate.
We were most impressed with the three different styles that decorate the houses: four tiles forming a motif is the Portuguese style; linear designs are typical of German tiles, and English tiles are either a solid color or have a single motif, usually floral.
The city has capitalized on this tourist attraction, and even the modern telephone booths are covered in pseudo tiles created by blue-and-white patterned adhesive paper!
The hilly streets are lined with colorful, tiled colonial houses, some restored and others waiting to be resurrected to their former beauty. Exterior balconies of sinuous wrought iron extend from the upper windows.
Three and a half hours went quickly as we hiked through the streets discovering the peaceful cloisters of Convento dos Mercés and also Igrehjo do Carmo, which combines a hospital, still ministering to the poor, with another convent, each built in the 1600s and both still in use.
JACKIE & MAURICE BLACK
Thunder Bay, Ontario
