Other sights in Belém
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A
Museo do Círio
From the discovery of a tiny statue of Mary in a riverbank in 1700, to idiosyncrasies of the massive procession of today, the handsome new Círio Museum breaks down Belém’s famous religious festival, the Círio de Nazaré. There’s the story of how, in 1855, a rope was used to steady the statue’s carriage, and has since become an integral part of the march, with the faithful jostling for a chance to pull or touch it. The rope was banned by the church for being ‘unsanctified,’ then brought back by public demand. It’s grown along with the festival – at last measure, it was 400m long and weighed over a thousand pounds. Explanations are in Portuguese only.
reviewed
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B
Mercado Ver-o-Peso
A symbol of the city, the name of this waterfront market comes from colonial times, when the Portuguese would ver o peso (check the weight) of merchandise in order to impose taxes. The market’s four-turreted iron structure is known, aptly enough, as the Mercado do Ferro. It was brought over in parts from Britain, and assembled and inaugurated in 1901. A profile of the turrets is commonly used as a symbol of Belém.
reviewed
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C
Catedral da Sé
It took a while, but the restoration of Belém’s cathedral was worth it. After years of slow, sad decline, the historic cathedral now radiates inside and out. The exterior gleams a brilliant white, while the soaring interior has polished marble floors and intricate geometric designs on the walls and ceiling, and oversized paintings of the Virgin Mary and other saints in ornate gold-encrusted frames.
reviewed
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D
Museu do Índio do Pará
More a gallery than a museum – for now – the Pará Índio Museum has a small but rich collection of artifacts from most of Pará’s 30-plus indigenous groups. Ceremonial costumes, hunting tools, and other items are displayed in a huge converted warehouse near the historic Mercado do Ferro.
reviewed