Camamu is located 365 km to the south of
Salvador,
on the so-called Costa do Dendê.
It is one of Brazils oldest cities and was originally a Tupiniquins Indian village.
After the Jesuits having erected the chapel Nossa Senhora da Assunção de Macamamu in 1560,
Camamu was founded in 1565 by Lucas Giraldes, the second donee of the
captaincy
of
Ilhéus.
Camamu became the second most important city of Bahia and the countries main exporter for
manioc flour. The city possesses a rich architectural heritage such as the churches
Nossa Senhora da Assunção, from the 18th century, Nossa Senhora do Desterro (1670) and
São Benedito (1839) in the upper part of the city.
Following the Luso-Brazilian tradition, Camamu is built on two levels separated by a steep
slope of approximately 40 m. The higher part of the city is characterized by
narrow and tortuous streets as being seen in Lisbon, Porto, Salvador and Maraú and
the lower part contains the port, the city hall and the prison.
The
Camamu Bay
is is located in the heart of southern Bahias cacao region and after the bay of
Todos os Santos in Salvador and Guanabara in
Rio de Janeiro
the third largest and one of the most beautiful bays
Brazil has to offer.
