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Not another city has a unique history as São Luís. The city was founded by the French in 1612, later invaded by the Dutch and finally colonized by the Portuguese.

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From the 18th century, in the colonial period, there was an economic and urban expansion in the capital of Maranhão. With the creation of the General Trade Company of Grão-Pará and Maranhão, by the Marquês de Pombal, the port of São Luís became more busy, exporting goods and food produced in the interior of Maranhão (cotton and rice) and importing enslaved people from the African continent and manufactures from Europe. With the economic growth, there was a search to enrich the aesthetics of the houses of the wealthier classes and commercial buildings.

One of their main forms of artistic expression, the Portuguese dedicated themselves to the production of tiles.
With great Portuguese influence, the city of São Luís preserves the largest urban agglomeration of tiles from the 18th and 19th centuries in all of Latin America. In addition to the artistic sense and longevity of five centuries, the tile also had a utilitarian function, resisting the heavy rainy weather and softening the summer heat, due to the white tones that reflect the sun's rays, making the temperature inside the buildings milder and functioned as a thermal insulator.
In 1997, the city's Historic Center was declared a cultural heritage site by UNESCO. São Luís is also known as the "Tile City".

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Some of the arts in The Palacio dos leoes

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The Palácio Dos Leões in São Luís provides a historical narritive of the city. It showcases objects and in itself is an architectural masterpiece taking us back in time to when Brazil was colonized approximately one thoused pieces including French porcelain,tapestries paintings,engravings and furmiture,from the 16th to the 20th century,are distributed among the six public halls at the palacios dos leões.

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It is one of the most importants touristic points in São Luís. It was build in 1976.

The Fonte do ribeirão is theme about the most of the São luís legends. The most popular being of the enormous snake that lives in the undergound. Its head being in the Fonte and its tail in the São Pantaleão church. Acording to the legend, in the day its head finds its tail the sanke will wake and will destroy the island.

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The Espigão da Ponta d'Areia is a coastal structure whose main purpose is to protect the coast from the action of the waves.

It also became a tourist attraction in the city, serving as a leisure point for residents and tourists, with a bike path, sidewalk, a place for sports, revitalization of historic monuments, such as Forte Santo Antônio da Barra and the Memorial Bandeira Tribuzi, a gazebo, quiosques and observation points. The location is popular for seeing the sunrise and sunset.

Espigão also hosts shows, as well as being part of the São João and Carnaval parties.