The old town (Centro Historico) of São Luís was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. During a large-scale revitalization project (“Projeto Reviver”), large parts of the well-preserved colonial architecture were restored. The historic facades of the more than 1,100 houses are particularly valuable, many of which are still decorated with old Portuguese tiles, the so-called azulejos. Although the city was founded by the French in 1612 and even named after their then king Louis XIII, it is now considered the “most Portuguese city in the country” thanks to its many azulejos.
Due to the intensive slavery practiced here at the time, the population of Maranhão is darker-skinned than in the other states of the northeast. The region is still one of the poorest in Brazil.