Manaus is a city that also has a very rich architecture. The flamboyant buildings that were erected in the city can be attributed to the rubber boom, which Manaus was at the center of during the 19th century.

At that time, there were several buildings that were at par with those that can be found in Europe. Even the roads and streetlamps gave a feel of distinguished taste and made Manaus a very beautiful city in terms of architecture.

Though there is a small British influence that can be seen in the city’s architecture, most of the buildings in Manaus, especially the old ones, display a very strong Portuguese influence. These buildings usually have tiled walls and only a few of these are tall buildings.

Teatro Amazonas

The Amazonas Theatre or Teatro Amazonas is also sometimes called the Opera House. It is the most notable acknowledgment of Manaus’s great progress during the time of the rubber boom. It is also the most expensive proof of this progress. It cost 10 million dollars to construct the theatre. The luxurious theatre has a dome that is very unique. It is displayed with glazed tiles that are of Portuguese origin. The interiors had walls and ceilings painted by renowned Italian painters.

São Sebastião Square

Saint Sebastian or São Sebastião Square is a place in Manaus where you can see various proofs of their rich culture. It is encircled in various works of the previous century. You can especially see the structures that were built during the rubber boom.

Aside from the buildings that greatly display the world-class architecture of the Belle Epoch, it also displays a number of bronze sculptures. It is in the São Sebastião Square where you can see the first recorded emergence of the cobblestone paving with white and black patterns that is very common in different places like in Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach.

Today, in the São Sebastião Square you can also see the houses surrounding it restored to its original architectural design.

Justice Palace

Built just a few years after the Teatro Amazonas, the Justice Palace is also an example of the many structures that showcase Manaus’s Belle Epoch. It has an amazing façade and its interiors are extravagantly decorated. The Justice Palace’s style can be likened to that of Teatro Amazonas, which displays a mix of various European styles.

The Justice Palace also displays the commonly seen style of Manaus’s Belle Epoch which is the display of two different types of wood for the houses’ floorboards. This is said to represent the two colors of the Amazon River and the Negro River.