This impressive complex is both an archive of and a monument to Latin American peoples’ long, bloody trek towards democracy. As home to the headquarters of the Parlamento Latino-Americano (Latin American Parliament), the Memorial da America Latina is also at the heart of current cultural, political and economic negotiations.

Designed by the great modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer, the center includes a library (with newspapers, magazines, videos, films and records), an exhibition pavilion, a museum and an auditorium where world leaders as diverse as Bill Clinton, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chávez have given speeches.

Most impressive of all is the justifiably famous “big hand” sculpture, which pays tribute Latin America’s many hard-fought battles for freedom.