The Iron Market
Turrets of 1901.
Cayambe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cayambe — CC BY-SA 3.0 · MTur Destinos — Public domain
Ver-o-Peso is the most famous market of the Amazon and one of Brazil's oldest, on the shore of Guajará Bay in Belém, the city at the mouth of the Amazon. Its name goes back to colonial times, when a tax post, the House of Weighing, stood here from 1625; goods from the forest and rivers were weighed before tax was paid to the Portuguese crown. It was chosen as one of the Seven Wonders of Brazil. The complex is made up of the Iron Market, opened in 1901 with its famous metal turrets, the fish market, the boat dock and a large open market supplied by fishermen and farmers arriving by boat from the islands and villages: huge Amazon fish, fruit found nowhere else, medicinal herbs, oils and folk perfumes. Its best-known dish is fried fish with açaí, a symbol of northern Brazilian cooking. The best time to come is early morning, when the boats dock and the market is at its busiest. It is crowded, so watch your belongings and carry little cash.
Turrets of 1901.
And medicinal oils.
The northern dish.
Campina district, on Guajará Bay, Belém
Estação das DocasEstação das Docas is a leisure complex on the Guajará Bay waterfront, created by9 minutes walk4.9
Theatro da PazThe Theatro da Paz, the Theatre of Peace, is the leading cultural house of north14 minutes walk4.9
Mangal das GarçasMangal das Garças, Mangrove of the Herons, is a nature park opened on 12 January16 minutes walk4.9See the Weight, from the colonial House of Weighing where goods were weighed from 1625 before tax was paid to the Portuguese crown.