Global Treasures: Olinda

Television Director: Ullman, Frank

Producer: Scarson, Peter O.

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Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1305

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Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

Olinda is one of the most well-preserved colonial towns in Brazil. It was once the capital of the federal state of Pernambuco on the Atlantic coast and in 1982 was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

The first Portuguese immigrants were excited about its wonderful location when they landed here in 1535. They were followed by priests and monks who built churches and monasteries within the palm groves on the hills.

Most of the town's important buildings date back to that time when the town prospered due to the cultivation of sugarcane. Religion in the town began to blossom, a fact indicated by the remarkable Benedictine monastery, the Mosteiro De Sao Bento.

Olinda is a fine example of colonial splendour and sacred art, a unique masterpiece of Brazilian Late Baroque!