the church of st. benedict, located in the center of the district, was built in 1701 and is well worth a visit - it was created to house black slaves who were not allowed to attend the same church as white people when slavery was rife - while strolling through the stunning cobbled streets visitors can observe colonial style houses built centuries ago and a number of interesting heritage sites. 

the chapel of nossa senhora da guia is located on the hill bearing the same name - the chapel was built in 1740 by franciscan friars and as a result the site is surrounded with mystical stories and legends.

inaugurated in 1926, the construction of the feliciano sodré bridge (ponte feliciano sodré) marked an engineering milestone - standing as the largest of brazil's bridges for decades, this landmark connects the city center to the neighborhood of gamboa.