Valongo Wharf Ruins

Address: Cais do Valongo (Valongo Wharf), Praça Mauá, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Admission: Free (open-air historic site)

Valongo Wharf (Cais do Valongo) is an archaeological and historic port site in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, that served as a principal landing site for enslaved Africans in the 19th century. It is located in the city’s historic port area.

The exposed archaeological remains and interpretive installations document the arrival and processing of enslaved people and are a focal point for public history and commemorations. The site is part of the broader Praça Mauá and port redevelopment zone.

Constructed and used during the 19th century as Rio’s main quay for transatlantic slave disembarkation, the site was later buried and rediscovered during 21st-century redevelopment and archaeological work. Its study has reshaped understanding of Rio’s slave-era port operations.

Valongo Wharf is located on the northern edge of Rio de Janeiro’s historic centre, adjacent to Praça Mauá and the port area, within walking distance of downtown museums and waterfront promenades.

• UNESCO status: Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017 for its outstanding testimony to the transatlantic slave trade and African diaspora history.

Cais do Valongo (Valongo Wharf) is in central Rio de Janeiro’s port district near Praça Mauá and the Museu do Amanhã. It’s easiest to get there using the Rio light rail (VLT) - alight at Praça Mauá - or by walking from the Praça Mauá/Museu do Amanhã waterfront promenade.

The site is also accessible by many central-city buses and by car via Avenida Rodrigues Alves along the port area; from the historic downtown and Cinelândia area it’s a short walk.

• Approach Cais do Valongo from the Praça Mauá/Porto Maravilha area and combine the visit with the nearby Museum of Tomorrow or MAR to put the archaeological site into historical context.
• Visit early in the day on weekdays to avoid heat and crowds from downtown excursions; guided tours or the small on-site interpretive materials considerably enrich the short visit, so check ahead for opening hours or scheduled talks.
• Take a short walking circuit of the port-area heritage sites rather than treating the wharf as a single stop - the surrounding plazas and museums help explain the site's historical significance.