These theaters not only host opera and theater, but also carimbo dance, jazz, and film.
On Monday, UNESCO declared two iconic opera houses built in the Brazilian Amazon as World Heritage Sites: the Amazonas Theater in Manaus and the Peace Theater in Belem.
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Both represent the “rich cultural heritage” of the Belle Epoque in the world’s largest rainforest. The World Heritage Committee made the decision during its annual assembly in Busan, South Korea, and marks the first time a cultural site from the Brazilian Amazon has been added to the list.
The Brazilian delegation emphasized the importance of this inscription, highlighting that the Amazon is not only a paradigm of natural heritage but also a producer of cultures, memories, and identity.
These theaters not only host opera and theater, but also carimbo dance, jazz, and film, becoming spaces for broad artistic expression and symbols of cultural exchange.
La Amazonía es un patrimonio de la humanidad que debemos proteger con hechos. Reducir la deforestación, impulsar la reforestación y promover la cooperación entre gobiernos, comunidades, empresa y sociedad civil es el camino.
Desde Leticia, la IV Cumbre de la… pic.twitter.com/FqBgDN49pa— Iván Duque
(@IvanDuque) July 22, 2026
The text reads, “The Amazon is a heritage of humanity that we must protect with actions. Reducing deforestation, promoting reforestation, and fostering cooperation between governments, communities, businesses, and civil society is the way forward.”
Both were built in the late 19th century thanks to the rubber boom, when global demand for latex transformed the Amazon into an economic hub capable of importing European styles and materials.
The “odyssey” of constructing them in an isolated region, with materials transported by ship across the Atlantic and up the Amazon River, even inspired the celebrated German film Fitzcarraldo (1982).
Deyvesson Alves, president of the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage, described the recognition as a “historic achievement” that showcases the region’s cultural diversity to the world.
#Brazil | President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva responded to U.S. tariff measures, questioning the justification for taxing Brazil. He highlighted that countries around the world are adapting, learning to trade through new markets, currencies, and bilateral dialogues.#LulaDaSilva… pic.twitter.com/6QzChGtUHT
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 23, 2026
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Source: EFE
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