Manaus stands on the north bank of the Rio Negro and is the gateway for most visitors to the Brazilian Amazon. It is here that the Rio Negro and the Solimoes join to form the Amazon. Though many visitors pass through Manaus on the way to a jungle lodge without exploring the city, there are a number of interesting places to visit including the opulent Baroque opera house (Teatro Amazonas) completed in 1896 at the height of the rubber boom, the local market (Mercado Municipal) and Meeting of the Waters (Encontro das Aguas), before setting off to the explore the rainforest.