Investigation of historical mortars from Belém do Pará, Northern Brazil

•31 samples of historical mortars from 5 different buildings were investigated.•It was made a mineralogical, chemical, physical and mechanical characterization.•The mortars had similar components and had different physical and mechanical properties.•Tables and figures summarizing the results are presented.•The results shows the main characteristics and properties of some historical mortars from Northern Brazil. Belém do Pará, founded in 1616, still has layers of lime mortar on its historical buildings, which recurrently need restorative interventions. Intervention strategies need to include the use of building materials compatible with the original materials and, therefore, a good characterization of the original composition is necessary for the restoration of historical monuments. Thus, the main objective of this paper is the chemical, physical, and mineralogical characterization of historical mortars in Belém do Pará from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as to evaluate their physical and mechanical properties. The results obtained showed the type of mortars used in different buildings and their main components, as well as the mortars behavior that helped the durability of the historic masonries. The conclusions leaded to useful information for seculars mortars restoration of northern Brazil.