Praca Riachuelo (Riachuelo Square), Salvador

The historic Praça Riachuelo, nestled in the Comércio neighborhood, is a tribute to the heroes of the 1865 Battle of Riachuelo during the Paraguay War (1864-1870). Bahia took the lead, sending more soldiers than any other province.

At the center of the square rises the grand Riachuelo Monument, a creation of the Bahia Commercial Association, whose stately palace looms just across the way-founded in 1811, it holds the title of Brazil’s oldest employers' association.

Built in 1866, the square initially lacked the monument, but it soon became a well-planted, gas-lamp-lit oasis. The Bahia Commercial Association had always aimed to honor the Paraguay War heroes with a monument at the square’s center. After much back-and-forth, in 1870, it was decided: the monument would rise 20 meters, topped by the Angel of Victory.

A few design proposals from Italy, France, Portugal, and even Salvador artists were considered. Finally, in 1872, Emperor Dom Pedro II laid the foundation stone, but it wasn’t until months later that the final plans were locked in. The monument had its grand unveiling on November 23, 1874.

This neoclassical beauty, crafted in marble, bronze, and cast iron, was designed by João Francisco Lopes Rodrigues (1825-1893), a Bahia artist and director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Bahia. The Angel of Victory atop the monument takes its cues from ancient Greek sculptures. The pedestal features a bronze medallion, embossed with the Empire’s arms. French engineer José Revault oversaw the installation.