The late 17th-century core of this historic town on the Northeast coast of Brazil, founded by the French and occupied by the Dutch before coming under Portuguese rule, has preserved it's original rectangular street plan in its entirety. Thanks to a period of economic stagnation in the early 20th century, an exceptional number of fine historic buildings have survived, making this an outstanding example of a Portuguese colonial town. In the nineties, many historic building were restored in the Projeto Reviver. Ten years later, the climate again takes its toll.
(c) Sander van Hulsenbeek
