Mercado Modelo

Bahia · Brazil · Urban site

From the flooded cellar beneath Salvador's market halls, screams are said to rise at night – according to legend, from enslaved people once held captive in the vaults.

The Mercado Modelo by Salvador's harbour is today a bustling craft market, but beneath the building lie water-filled cellar vaults that spawned the city's most debated ghost legend. According to popular belief, newly arrived enslaved Africans were held captive in the dark vaults awaiting sale – and at night their screams and weeping are said to seep up through the floors. Historians question whether the cellar was ever used that way, but the stories refuse to fade: vendors testify to voices, cold draughts and a heaviness in the air down at the waterline. The cellar has at times been open to visitors – few go down twice.

FAQ

Where is Mercado Modelo located?

Mercado Modelo is in Bahia, Brazil.