List of World Heritage Sites in Brazil

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. The Federative Republic of Brazil accepted the convention on 1 September 1977, making its historical sites eligible for inclusion on the list. As of 2023, there are 23 World Heritage Sites in Brazil, including fifteen cultural sites, seven natural sites and one mixed site.

Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves

Brasília

Brazilian Atlantic Islands

Central Amazon Conservation Complex

Cerrado

Discovery Coast

Salvador

São Luís

Diamantina

Goiás

Olinda

Ouro Preto

Iguaçu National Park

Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis

Pampulha

Pantanal

Paraty and Ilha Grande

Rio de Janeiro and Valongo Wharf

Congonhas

São Francisco Square

Serra da Capivara

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Locations of World Heritage Sites in Brazil

The first site in Brazil, the Historic Town of Ouro Preto, was inscribed on the list at the 4th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Paris, France in 1980. In 1983, Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis was accepted to the list in a joint bid with Argentina, making it Brazil's first trans-border property. Iguaçu National Park was enlisted in 1986 as the first site selected for its natural significance. Brazil's latest contribution to the World Heritage List, the Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, was inscribed in 2021.

In addition to its inscribed sites, Brazil also maintains twenty-three properties on its tentative list.

World Heritage Sites

Site; named after the World Heritage Committee's official designation

Location; at city, regional, or provincial level and geocoordinates

Criteria; as defined by the World Heritage Committee

Area; in hectares and acres. If available, the size of the buffer zone has been noted as well. A lack of value implies that no data has been published by UNESCO

Year; during which the site was inscribed to the World Heritage List

Description; brief information about the site, including reasons for qualifying as an endangered site, if applicable

  * Trans-border site

Site	Image	Location	Criteria	Area ha (acre)	Year	Description
Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves		BrazilParaná and São Paulo 24°10′00″S 48°00′00″W	Natural:BraAtl (vii)(ix)(x)	468,193 (1,156,930)	1999	The site comprises some of the last remaining Atlantic Forests and shows a very high diversity with many rare and endemic species. As such it is of high interest both for scientists and for conservation.
Brasília		BrazilFederal District 15°47′00″S 47°54′00″W	Cultural:BraBra (i)(iv)	—	1987	Planned and developed by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer in 1956, Brasília was created ex nihilo in order to move the capital from Rio de Janeiro to a more central position. Together with Chandigarh in India it is the only place where Corbusier's design principles of urbanism have been applied on large scale.
Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves		BrazilPernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte 3°51′29″S 32°25′30″W	Natural:BraBraAtl (vii)(ix)(x)	42,270 (104,500)	2001	As one of the few insular habitats in the South Atlantic, the site is essential as feeding ground and reproduction space for marine organisms including endangered and threatened species, most notably the hawksbill sea turtle.
Central Amazon Conservation Complex		BrazilAmazonas 2°20′00″S 62°00′30″W	Natural:BraCen (ix)(x)	5,323,018 (13,153,460)	2000	As the largest protected area in the Amazon basin, the site is notable for its high biodiversity, range of habitats such as várzea and igapó forests and number of endangered species. It has been recognized by various conservation agencies as a high priority region.
Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks		BrazilGoiás 14°00′20″S 47°41′05″W	Natural:BraCer (ix)(x)	367,356 (907,760)	2001	The two parks are characteristic of the cerrado, one of the world's oldest tropical ecosystems and an important refuge for species in times of climate change.
Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves		BrazilBahia and Espírito Santo 16°30′00″S 39°15′00″W	Natural:BraDis (ix)(x)	111,930 (276,600)	1999	The site comprises some of the last remaining Atlantic Forests and shows a very high diversity with many rare and endemic species. As such it is of high interest both for scientists and for conservation.
Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia		BrazilBahia 12°58′00″S 38°30′00″W	Cultural:BraHisSal (iv)(vi)	—	1985	The colonial old town of the first Brazilian capital and town of the first slave market in the New World, has preserved many brightly colored Renaissance houses decorated with stucco work from the 16th to 18th centuries.
Historic Centre of São Luís		BrazilMaranhão 2°30′51″S 44°18′09″W	Cultural:BraHisSao (iii)(iv)(v)	67 (170)	1997	São Luís has preserved the complete rectangular town plan and numerous historical buildings making it a prime example of a Portuguese colonial town.
Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina		BrazilMinas Gerais 18°40′00″S 43°36′00″W	Cultural:BraHisDia (ii)(iv)	29 (72)	1999	A well-preserved example of Baroque architecture, this 18th-century colonial town was founded in an inhospitable environment of rocky mountains and became a center of diamond mining in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás		BrazilGoiás 15°56′00″S 50°08′00″W	Cultural:BraHisGoi (ii)(iv)	40 (99)	2001	Founded in 1727 by the bandeirante explorer Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva, Goiás has preserved much of its colonial heritage and is an example of a European settlement in the interior of South America.
Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda		BrazilPernambuco 8°00′48″S 34°50′42″W	Cultural:BraHisOli (ii)(iv)	120 (300)	1982	Founded in 1537 the town prospered as a centre of sugar-cane production. Following looting by the Dutch in the 17th century, the historic centre dates largely to the 18th century with a harmonious combination of buildings, gardens, churches, convents and chapels.
Historic Town of Ouro Preto		BrazilMinas Gerais 20°23′20″S 43°30′20″W	Cultural:BraHisOur (i)(iii)	—	1980	The prosperity of the town as the center of the Brazilian gold rush in the 18th century is reflected in numerous preserved churches, bridges and fountains many of them designed by the Baroque sculptor Aleijadinho.
Iguaçu National Park		BrazilParaná 25°41′00″S 54°26′00″W	Natural:BraIgu (vii)(x)	170,086 (420,290)	1986	Together with Iguazú National Park on the Argentinian side, the park protects Iguazu Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls, and is home to many rare and endangered species such as giant anteater or the giant otter. The site had been listed as endangered 1999–2001 due to an illegally opened road through the park, dams on the Iguazu River and helicopter flights.
Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis: San Ignacio Miní, Santa Ana, Nuestra Señora de Loreto and Santa María Mayor (Argentina), Ruins of São Miguel das Missões (Brazil)		BrazilRio Grande do Sul also Misiones Province, Argentina 28°32′36″S 54°15′57″W	Cultural:BraJes (iv)	—	1983	Each of the five ruined Spanish Jesuit missions founded amidst a tropical forest in the land of the Guaraní people in the 17th and 18th centuries is characterized by a specific design.
Pampulha Modern Ensemble		BrazilMinas Gerais 19°51′07″S 43°58′25″W	Cultural:BraPam (i)(ii)(iv)	154 (380)	2016	The listed site consists of an urban project created in 1940 at Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. It was designed around an artificial lake, Lake Pampulha, and includes a casino, a ballroom, the Golf Yacht Club and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi. The buildings were designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer, in collaboration with the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx and Brazilian Modernist artists.
Pantanal Conservation Area		BrazilMato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul 17°43′00″S 57°23′00″W	Natural:BraPan (vii)(ix)(x)	187,818 (464,110)	2000	The site contains four protected areas, encompassing one of the world's largest freshwater wetland ecosystems, and is home to an abundant number and diverse range of species.
Paraty and Ilha Grande - Culture and Biodiversity		BrazilRio de Janeiro 23°13′21″S 44°42′50″W	Mixed:BraPan (v)(x)	204,634 (505,660)	2019	Located between the Serra da Bocaina mountain range and the Atlantic Ocean, this cultural landscape includes the historic centre of Paraty, one of Brazil's best-preserved coastal towns, as well as four protected natural areas of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, one of the world’s five key biodiversity hotspots. Paraty is home to an impressive diversity of species, some of which are threatened, such as the jaguar (Panthera onca), the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari) and several primate species, including the woolly spider monkey (Brachyteles arachnoides), which are emblematic of the site. In the late 17th century, Paraty was the end-point of the Caminho do Ouro (Gold Route), along which gold was shipped to Europe. Its port also served as an entry point for tools and African slaves, sent to work in the mines. A defence system was built to protect the wealth of the port and the town. The historic centre of Paraty has retained its 18th century plan and much of its colonial architecture dating from the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes Between the Mountain and the Sea		BrazilRio de Janeiro 22°56′52″S 43°17′29″W	Cultural:BraRio (v)(vi)	7,249 (17,910)	2012	The listed site consists of an exceptional urban setting rather than built heritage. It encompasses the key natural elements that have shaped and inspired the development of the city: from the highest points of the Tijuca National Park's mountains down to the sea. They also include the Botanical Gardens, established in 1808, Corcovado Mountain with its celebrated statue of Christ and the hills around Guanabara Bay, including the extensive designed landscapes along Copacabana Bay which have contributed to the outdoor living culture of this spectacular city. Rio de Janeiro is also recognized for the artistic inspiration it has provided to musicians, landscapers and urbanists.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos		BrazilMinas Gerais 20°29′59″S 43°51′28″W	Cultural:BraSan (i)(iv)	—	1985	Built in the 18th century, the site features a church, an outdoor stairway and seven chapels, decorated with statues by Aleijadinho.
São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão		BrazilSergipe 11°00′58″S 37°12′36″W	Cultural:BraSao (ii)(iv)	3 (7.4)	2010	The square is surrounded by two churches, a palace and other buildings of different historical periods, exemplifying Franciscan architecture in north-eastern Brazil.
Serra da Capivara National Park		BrazilPiauí 8°25′00″S 42°20′00″W	Cultural:BraSer (iii)	—	1991	The site is among the oldest human communities in South America, featuring a great number of cave paintings, some dating as early as 25,000 years ago.
Valongo Wharf Archaeological Site		BrazilRio de Janeiro 22°53′49.6″S 43°11′14.62″W	CulturalBraRio (vi)	0.3895 (0.962)	2017	It is in the former harbour area of Rio de Janeiro in which the old stone wharf was built for the landing of enslaved Africans reaching the South American continent from 1811 onwards. An estimated 900,000 Africans arrived in South America via Valongo.
Sítio Roberto Burle Marx		BrazilRio de Janeiro 23°01′26.4″S 43°32′49.6″W	CulturalBraRio (ii), (iv)	40.53 (100.2)	2021	Estate in Barra de Guaratiba which belonged to the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx. He created a garden there with about 3500 species of plants.

Tentative list

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage list, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage list are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. As of 2024, Brazil lists twenty-three properties on its tentative list:

Tentative sites

Site	Image	Location (province)	Year listed	UNESCO criteria	Description
Serra da Bocaina National Park		São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro	1996	Natural: (vii)(x)	This is a protected part of the Atlantic tropical forest situated on the coast between the states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The area, of unusual beauty, is half-way between two of the largest cities in Brazil: São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. The national park covers 100000 hectares, is a fine example of protected oceanic forest, and has a rich variety of fauna, including many species threatened with extinction. It is also one of our rare protected sites along the coast.
Raso da Catarina Ecological Station		Bahia	1996	Natural: (vii)(ix)	The area of Raso da Catarina is considered to be one of the most arid zones in Brazil. Owing to the lack of natural springs and to the fact that the rivers frequently run dry, this vast area has remained virtually untouched. It is a flat area covered with brushwood, including cacti and exotic plants which provide one of the rare sources of water at certain times of the year. In some places there are sand formations resembling canyons, pillars and walls, mainly hollowed out by rainwater. These provide a refuge for birds as well as being interesting from a scenic point of view. The flora and fauna, however, are the greatest attraction of the Raso da Catarina.
Taim Ecological Station		Rio Grande do Sul	1996	Natural: (ix)(x)	Situated in the district of Santa Vitória do Palmar and Rio Grande, this station covers an area of 32000 hectares near the Uruguayan border. Taim si public property which has been declared an area of ecological interest, with a vast lagoon system partly formed by the Mirim, Jacaré, Nicola and Mangueira lagoons. Most of the marshland along the southern coast of Brazil is interesting on account of its biotic communities and its rich wildlife. The area at Taim has about 10 km of ocean beaches, mobile dunes and areas where sand and creeping vegetation alternate.
Biological reserve Rocas Atoll		Rio Grande do Norte	1996	Natural: (vii)(ix)	This covers the small islands and ocean area around the only true atoll in the Atlantic; the area was established as a wildlife reserve in June 1979. Situated 144 miles from the Brazilian Coast, it is a region with a rich variety of sea-birds and other marine fauna and flora.
Pico da Neblina National Park		Amazonas	1996	Natural: (vii)(ix)(x)	This park (2200000 hectares) is situated in the state of Amazonas, on the frontier with Venezuela, where it is known as the Cerro La Neblina National. It contains the highest peak in Brazil (3014 m): hence its name. It is a fine example of equatorial rain-forest and its highest slopes are shrouded in misty forest, owing to the constant high humidity. There is also a rich variety of wildlife. Furthermore, the park contains at least two Pleistocene sites, and offers areas of great scenic beauty, such as the Morro dos seis Lagos.
Gustavo Capanema Palace		Rio de Janeiro	1996	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iv)	This edifice, built between 1937 and 1945, was designed by a team of architects according to the original plans by Le Corbusier. The team consisted of Lucio Costa, Oscar Niemeyer, Affonso Eduardo Reidy, Ernani Vasconcellos, Carlos Leão, and Jorge Machado Moreira. The gardens were designed by Roberto Burle Marx, and the glazed tiles of the facade as well as the mural paintings decorating the interior are by Candido Portinari. This building was the first deliberate attempt at modern Brazilian architecture and had a decisive influence on all subsequent major developments in architecture in Brazil.
São Bento Monastery		Rio de Janeiro	1996	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iv)	The monastery of S.Bento stands on one of the four hills which were landmarks in the heart of Rio de Janeiro in the sventeenth and eighteenth centuries. It was begun in 1617, and steadily thereafter extended and enriched by remarkable 'talhas' (wood carvings) and paintings - the works of architects, sculptors, engravers and painters - throughout the seventeenth, eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, always adapting to changing tastes, but never losing a sense of unity. The same observations might be made of the more recent buildings near the monastery - a secondary school and a hostel - thanks to the sensitivity and discernment shown by the Benedectine community which still inhabits the monastery.
Peruaçu River Canyon		Minas Gerais	1998	Mixed: (iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)	Chastic canyon with around 60 sites of prehistoric occupation and spectacular rock art, concentrated in a region of 12 km² of relict vegetation and animal species threatened with extinction, in a natural region with magnificent landscapes, close to the Xacriabás Indian Reserve. The archaeological sites contain traces of occupation from 12,000 BC to the colonial period.
Serra da Capivara National Park and Permanent Preservation Areas		Piauí	1998	Mixed: (iii)(iv)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)	Three geomorphologic units shape the area: 1. west of the area, arenite metamorphic high plateau's (Planalto), 500-630 m high, with homogeneous plane or slightly undulated tops. 2. In the centre, the Cuesta zone: highly irregular Siluro-Devonian arenite network of canyons, ravines, corridors and eroded formations and " ruins" . 3. eastward, a 60 to 80 Km erosion plain with isolated inselbergs of harder granites and calcareous islets.
Cavernas do Peruaçu Federal Environmental Protection Area (APA) / Veredas Do Peruaçu State Park		Minas Gerais	1998	Mixed: (iii)(iv)(v)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)	The Peruaçu valley's canyons, caves, galleries and permanent water favoured human occupation since as soon as 12.000 years ago. Rock paintings are extremely abundant all over the area, in shelters, on canyon walls and cave entrances. Several styles coexist, allowing to study successive cultural influences. Caves' dryness exceptionally conserved.
Serra da Canastra National Park		Minas Gerais	1998	Natural: (vii)(ix)(x)	The area is made of two isolated metamorphic quartzite high plateau (Chapadao), separated by a large valley: 1. the Serra da Canastra / Chapadao da Zagaia, and: 2. the Serra das Sete Voltas. Plane or undulated highlands are isolated by cliffs, precipices and steep slopes where softer stilts and micas abruptly replace the hard quartz cover, allowing differential erosion. Hundreds of streams originating on the plateau's flow downwards in spectacular waterfalls and cascades. Sierra's, cliffs and cascade create landscapes of exceptional beauty.
Serra do Divisor National Park		Acre	1998	Natural: (vii)(viii)(ix)(x)	Hilly and mountainous with large alluvial plains and some low tabular plateau's. Separating the two basins of Rio Ucayali (Peru) and Jurua (Brazil), the Park shelters main sources of Jurua 's left margin affluent. It is structured in four main hill massifs (Serras da Jaquirana, do Moa, do Jurua-Mirim & do Rio Branco), separated by flat plains and valleys of the corresponding affluent of the Jurna basin.
Anavilhanas National Park		Amazonas	1998	Natural: (vii)(ix)(x)	The Ecological station is constituted by a 100.000 ha. archipelago, of hundreds of elongated islands and canals within the Rio Negro riverbed, covered by inundated forests. Included to these are 250.000 ha. of not-flooded forests on the riversides. The river is 1 to 3 Km wide and 5 to 35 m deep. Sessonal variation of the water is +/- 10 m. Water pH varies between 3,7 and 5,5.
Cultural Landscape of Paranapiacaba: Village and railway systems in the Serra do Mar Mountain Range		São Paulo	2014	Cultural: (i)(ii)(iv)	The inscription comprehends the cultural heritage of the Railway Village of Paranapiacaba, built by the English company São Paulo Railway Co., the natural heritage of Atlantic Rainforest in the stretch circumscribed by the perimeter of the Nascentes de Paranapiacaba Natural Park, in the Municipality of Santo André, on top of the Serra do Mar Mountain Range, and the technological railroad heritage of the funicular and rack-and-pinion systems at the Mogi River Basin between the municipalities of Santo André and Cubatão, in the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Ver-o-Peso		Pará	2014	Cultural: (vii)(ix)	An architectural and landscape ensemble, listed by IPHAN as a heritage site in 1977, comprising its urban layout, monumental buildings, rows of houses, iron markets and urban furniture, squares and docks for boats. Its spatial configuration was established and consolidated between the 17th and the first decades of the 20th century. Its origins are attributed to the implementation, in the mid-17th century, of a tax collection station at the mouth of an igarapé where there was a small natural port now corresponding to the docks.
Itacoatiaras of Ingá River		Paraíba	2015	Cultural: (i)(iii)	The term "itacoatiara" originates from the Tupi-Guarani language and means "writing or drawing on stone", having been used in Brazil as a synonym for "rock engraving" expressions. The rock art site of the Itacoatiaras of the Inga River is located in the rural municipality of Inga, whose main city is about 105 km from the city of João Pessoa, the state capital of Paraiba, Brazil. The municipality is part of the Depressão Sertaneja, a typical geoenvironmental unit of the Brazilian semi-arid northeast characterized by the Caatinga Hiperxerófila type of vegetation with areas of Floresta Caducifólia, by the Tropical Semiárido climate and with rainfall ranging from November to April with low average annual precipitation.
Geoglyphs of Acre		Acre	2015	Cultural: (iii)(iv)(v)	The Acre Geoglyphs are earthen excavated structures in the ground and formed by low walls and ditches representing geometrical figures of different shapes. These enclosures were found in the southwestern region of the western Amazon, most predominantly in the eastern portion of the state of Acre, located in areas between streams, creek springs and wetlands, associated mostly with the Acre and Iquiri rivers.
Cedro Dam in the Quixadá Monoliths		Ceará	2015	Cultural: (iv)	The Quixadá region (the name meaning corral stones), located in Northeastern Brazil, has been occupied since prehistoric times, as evidenced by cave paintings and other existing archaeological remains on the site. European colonization began from the last quarter of the seventeenth century, starting with sugar production areas on the coast, following the beds of major rivers, entering the hinterland in search of places for cattle breeding. The organization of the territory and culture was done around the homestead, the patriarchal family structure, farms and grazing areas.
Brazilian Fortresses Ensemble		States of São Paulo, Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Amapá, Rondônia, and Mato Grosso do Sul	2015	Cultural: (ii)(iv)	The set of fortresses installed by Europeans in Brazil originated in a territory occupation process, different to those found in other colonial powers. It was based on a decentralized effort, arising from the actions of inhabitants of the different captaincies that formed Brazil, without further intervention from the mother country. This resulted in the construction of hundreds of fortresses, scattered throughout the country, built to cater more to local interests than the motherland. The fortresses not only marked the presence of towns and cities of Lusitanian origin, but also the contact between different cultures.
Amazonia Theaters (Amazon Theatre and Theatro da Paz)		Amazonas	2015	Cultural: (ii)(iv)(vi)	Built in the late nineteenth century, both Teatro Amazonas (Amazon Theater) and Teatro da Paz (Peace Theater) are located in the Brazilian Amazon in the cities of Manaus and Belém, respectively. These theaters are significant monuments located in the two largest urban centers of the region, symbols of the economic boom achieved and represented by a model of Europeanized civility reproduced in the tropics due to the Amazon Rubber Boom in South America.
Parque Nacional dos Lençóis Maranhenses		Maranhão	2017	Natural: (vii)(viii)(x)	The National Park of Lençóis Maranhenses (LMNP), created by Decree 86,060, in June 2nd, 1981, is characterized as the largest field of sand dunes in South America. It comprises an area of 155 thousand hectares, of which 90 thousand consist of mobile dunes and lagoons formed by these dunes. It is located on the eastern coast of the state of Maranhão and covers three municipalities: Barreirinhas, Santo Amaro and Primeira Cruz. The LMNP is a federal protected area, and its management is carried out by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation - ICMBio.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz		Rio de Janeiro	2024	Cultural: (ii)(vi)	The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz – Fiocruz, in Portuguese) has its origins in the Federal Serum Therapy Institute (Instituto Soroterápico Federal, in Portuguese), founded in 1900, on Manguinhos Municipal Farmlands, in the then federal capital of the country (Rio de Janeiro), to manufacture serums and vaccines against the bubonic plague that had arrived in Brazil via the Port of Santos (São Paulo) in the previous year.
Chapada do Araripe		Ceará, Pernambuco, Piauí	2024	Mixed: (iii)(vi)(viii)	The Chapada do Araripe is located between the parallels of 7 and 8° South Latitude and the meridians of 39° and 41° West Longitude of Greenwich. It is a central plateau that forms a territory comprising three Brazilian states in the northeast of the country: Ceará, Pernambuco and Piauí. Due to its geomorphology, it acts as a watershed between the hydrographic basins of the Jaguaribe River to the north, the São Francisco River to the south and the Parnaíba River to the west.