National Protection and New Roads

Heritage protection in Paraty developed in stages from the 1950s through the 1970s, while new roads reduced its isolation and expanded tourism.

Category: 20th century
Location: Historic Center and the municipality of Paraty

1957–1974
Heritage protection

What happened

IPHAN had been active in Paraty since the 1940s. The Defensor Perpétuo Fort was listed in 1957; the architectural and landscape ensemble and Santa Casa in 1958; and churches in 1962. The municipality was declared a National Monument in 1966, and protection was expanded in 1974. Limited road access via Paraty–Cunha became possible in the 1950s, and the Rio–Santos connection followed in the early 1970s; together, they made travel easier and helped tourism grow.

Why it matters

Preservation did not depend on a single decree. It resulted from a sequence of measures that expanded from individual buildings to the urban ensemble and the municipal territory. The roads brought income and visibility, but also real-estate pressure and new challenges for a living city.

Related places

Defensor Perpétuo Fort
Historic Center
Historic churches
Rural and coastal landscapes

Sources

IPHAN — Timeline of heritage protection in Paraty
Municipality of Paraty — Heritage
IPHAN — Preservation studies

Monthly update

September 10, 2026.

Gallery

Surveyors measure and photograph a colonial facade in Paraty as residents look on and an old utility jeep appears in the background. — Between 1957 and 1974, successive heritage listings expanded protection for Paraty while new roads reduced its isolation and stimulated tourism.