The Amazonas Theater, a remnant from the Era of Rubber in Manaus

If you think Amazon is just a forest, water, and savage animals, you are wrong. It is way more than this, and through the next lines, I will explain why. The first thing you have to understand is Amazonas (or Amazon) is both the biggest rainforest in the world and a State, located in the north region of Brazil. Its capital is Manaus, one of the biggest cities in the country, very dense, with more than four million people. And our story today is about one of the main touristic attractions that can be found there, the Amazonas Theater. 

Although Manaus is a huge cosmopolitan city, back in the time when the theater was built, it was just a small city. The Theatre was built during the Belle Époque, as you can see clearly on its architecture aspects. Back in that time, the Era of the Rubber, Manaus started to develop into a big city, and the construction of the Amazon Theatre - first proposed in 1881 -  was the symbol of this modern development, brought into the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

Just four years late, the construction began, and the work proceeded over the following fifteen years with some stops and restarts from 1885 to 1892. On December 31, 1896,  the theatre was inaugurated with the Italian opera, La Gioconda, by Amilcare Ponchielli.

Despite being an artistic space, the Amazon Theater has inside a museum explaining its historical and architectural importance. There, the visitor can learn about the history of the theater and the recent history of the city of Manaus. All the visitation to the theater is guided, and you can find it at the official website - translations are offered in English, French, Italian and Spanish. 

Keep in mind that the visitation can be in English or Spanish, but for that, there are restricted hours, so make sure that you schedule correctly before go. The prices go from 20 reais (or five euros) to 10 reais, for students. The entrance is free for kids until ten years, people with disabilities and local Brazilians from Manaus. 

Manaus is way more than just a forest. Keep following my articles, and I will show you all the nuances of this fantastic city!!!