Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda


World Heritage Identification Number: 189

World Heritage since: 1982

Category: Cultural Heritage

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇧🇷 Brazil

Continent: Americas

UNESCO World Region: Latin America and the Caribbean

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The Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda: A Colonial Gem in Brazil

The Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda, located in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, stands as a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the country. Established in the 16th century by the Portuguese, this charming town boasts a history deeply intertwined with the sugar-cane industry.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, the town’s history is linked to the sugar-cane industry. Rebuilt after being looted by the Dutch, its basic urban fabric dates from the 18th century. The harmonious balance between the buildings, gardens, 20 Baroque churches, convents and numerous small passos (chapels) all contribute to Olinda’s particular charm.

Encyclopedia Record: Olinda

Olinda is a historic city in Pernambuco, Brazil, in the Northeast Region. It is located on the country's northeastern Atlantic Ocean coast, in the Metropolitan Region of Recife, the state capital. It has a population of 349,976 people, covers 41.681 square kilometres (16.093 sq mi), and has a population density of 9,437 inhabitants per square kilometre (24,440/sq mi). It is noted as one of the best-preserved colonial cities in Brazil and has been inhabited since 1535.

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Additional Site Details

Area: 190.9 hectares

UNESCO Criteria: (ii) — Significant interchange of human values
(iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape

Coordinates: -8.013333333 , -34.845

Image

Image of Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda

© Allice Hunter, CC BY-SA 4.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)

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Country Information: Brazil

Flag of Brazil

Official Name: Federative Republic of Brazil

Capital: Brasília

Continent: Americas

Population (2024): 211,998,573

Population (2023): 211,140,729

Population (2022): 210,306,415

Land Area: 8,358,140 sq km

Currency: Brazilian real (BRL)

Country Data Sources

Last updated: January 18, 2026

Portions of the page Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Olinda, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.

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