Praca Marechal Deodoro (Marshal Deodoro Square), Salvador

Walking through this waterfront square today, it’s hard to picture it as a dock. Back in the early 20th century, between 1911 and 1913, the sea was pushed out, courtesy of a major landfill project for the Port of Salvador, which also gave birth to the Comércio neighborhood. By the late 19th century, the area was home to one of the city’s busiest markets. But by the 1960s, it had become a truck parking lot, overshadowed by massive trees.

Fast forward to 2000, and the square found new life with the Monument of the Nations-two intertwined hands symbolizing the cultural bond between South America, Central America, and the Iberian Peninsula. A gift from the Ibero-American Chamber of Commerce Association, this 3.9-meter sculpture, created by artist Kennedy Salles, is made from granite and fiberglass, giving the square a whole new kind of weight.