The Teatro Amazonas sits upon the a very pleasant square that has once again become a favorite Manauense gathering spot after undergoing a facelift in 2004. The formerly decrepit historic buildings surrounding the praça received much-needed renovations and many now house galleries, boutiques, and cafés. By day, locals stop for a coffee or tacacá, while in the evening hipsters hang out at outdoor bars and take in the open-air performances of regional music sponsored by the city.

On the praça, you’ll also find the Igreja Largo São Sebastião (5–9 a.m. and 3–7 p.m. daily). From the outside, this late 19th-century church sports a very untropically solemn gray facade. However, the interior is adorned with gleaming Italian marble, pretty stained glass windows, and luminous ceiling frescoes imported from Italy.

Close to the church, the Palácio de Justiça (Av. Eduardo Ribeiro, Centro, tel. 92/3248-1844, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Sat., 4–9 p.m. Sun.) is very palatial indeed. Built in 1900, its stately facade mingles elements of French Second Empire style with English neoclassicism. The building housed the Amazonas state court until 2006, when it was converted into a cultural center. All the original furnishings are intact, and you can literally sit in the place of a judge, juror, or culprit during a guided tour. You can also take in an art exhibit or a catch a film.