Rio de Contas: A 1ª cidade planejada do Brasil e patrimônio arquitetônico da Bahia

The city of Rio de Contas is one of the rare colonial "new cities," created by Portugal and was the first planned city in Brazil in 1745. Rio de Contas emerged as a gold mining center and soon transformed into a true regional capital. Today, with 15,000 inhabitants, it has been politically emancipated since August 28, 1885, although its creation dates back to November 27, 1723, and will celebrate its 300th anniversary in 2023. Designated a national historical and artistic heritage site by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage in 1980, the architectural ensemble of Rio de Contas includes squares and streets that still retain their old layout, with public and religious monuments in stone, adobe houses, and baroque churches. Located 580 km from its capital, Salvador, in the heart of the Chapada Diamantina, the city of Rio de Contas is currently one of the main ecotourism centers in Bahia. Rio de Contas, besides being the first planned city in Brazil and one of the three greatest architectural heritages of the State of Bahia, is a fascinating complex of unparalleled natural beauty and the main gateway to the charms of the Chapada Diamantina.