Largo do Pelourinho (Pillory Street), Salvador

Largo do Pelourinho (Pillory Street), Salvador

Pillory Street (Largo do Pelourinho) is a historical area in the center of Salvador. The former slave market has developed into a prestigious neighborhood and cultural center. It is surrounded by notable buildings, which makes it a popular spot on a walking tour of the city. The street's official name is Jose de Alencar Square (Praca Jose de Alencar).

One of the most iconic buildings on Pillory Street is the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black People. Other spots along Pillory Street worth visiting include the Jorge Amado House, the Bahian Gastronomy Museum (Museu da Gastronomia Baiana), and the Imaginary Museum (Museu do Imaginário Materializado).

Along with the best-preserved Colonial buildings lining the street, Pillory Street has its dark history. It was the area where pillories were kept for public shaming. Some of the victims were prisoners, but many were slaves who were attempting to flee to freedom.

According to UNESCO World Heritage classification, the Pillory Street area of Salvador da Bahia is considered the most important grouping of 17th & 18th Century Colonial Architecture in the Americas, Brazil.

The street is also known as the location for the music video "They Don't Care About Us" by Michael Jackson.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Salvador. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Largo do Pelourinho (Pillory Street) on Map

Sight Name: Largo do Pelourinho (Pillory Street)
Sight Location: Salvador, Brazil (See walking tours in Salvador)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Salvador, Brazil

Create Your Own Walk in Salvador

Create Your Own Walk in Salvador

Creating your own self-guided walk in Salvador is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Salvador's Historical Churches Tour

Salvador's Historical Churches Tour

Salvador’s historic district contains many old Catholic churches with wonderful architecture and history. It has so many that some joke that one can visit a different church in Salvador each day of the year. Follow this self-guided walking tour to discover the city’s best churches.

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Salvador Introduction Walking Tour

Salvador Introduction Walking Tour

Salvador is a coastal city in Brazil. Founded in 1548, it is the country's former capital and serves as the current capital of the state of Bahia. It is one of the oldest planned cities in the Americas.

Due to its location, early Europeans turned Salvador into an important trade route for slavery. Of the nearly 5 million enslaved people who were imported to Brazil, about 1.3 million were...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles