Salvador (3): Churches, the Pelourinho, and the Cidade Alta

The two cities in the city of Salvador: Cidade Alta (high city) and Cidade Baixa (low city). View from Salvador´s harbor: in the middle, the Elevador Lacerda (Lacerda´s Lift, connecting the low and the high city)

Historic Salvador has two cities in one: the high and the under city (Cidade Alta e Cidade Baixa). Close to the sea, the Cidade Baixa is some meters under the Cidade Alta, separeted by a cliff. 

As old capital, Salvador hosts many of the oldest churches and public buildings in Brazil, and remarkable historic sites, as the Pelourinho. The Pelourinho was the central square in portuguese colonial cities, and eventually where slaves accused of wrongdoing were mercilessly punished by their masters. Today, the Pelourinho at Salvador hosts many coloured houses, with souvenir boutiques.

Pelourinho got world famous as a location for Michael Jackson´s clip All I wanna say is that they don´t take any care about us, along with Dona Marta favela in Rio. The drums were played by Olodum, a famous percussion group from Bahia, which has an important social project for young poor people. 

See the video clip at youtube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNJL6nfu__Q