Until the 18th century, the region was inhabited by theíndios coroados (crowned Indians), which earned it the Portuguese name of "Sertão dos Índios Coroados". It was only with the discovery of gold inMinas Gerais and the consequent opening of the new way of the mines that passed through Petrópolis in that century that the region began to be occupied by non-Indians.[4] The town's origins can be traced to Bernardo Soares de Proença, who between 1722 and 1725 opened an alternative route between Rio de Janeiro andMinas Gerais, across the Serra da Estrela called "Caminho Novo das Minas" (New Road to Mines).
While traveling to Minas Gerais along this route in 1822,Emperor Pedro I stayed at a farm owned by a Catholic priest, named Correia, and found the region's climate pleasant. As the priest's sister and heiress refused to sell his property, the Emperor bought the neighboring one, called the Córrego Seco Farm, in 1830. He had his summer palace built there, but never saw it finished, because he stepped down from the throne on April 7, 1831.[5] Other Brazilian aristocrats eventually followed suit.
His son,Emperor Pedro II, on March 16, 1843, signed an imperial decree ordering the construction of a settlement (to be formed with the arrival ofGerman immigrants) and the construction of the dreamy summer palace on his outlying lands, the cornerstone of which was settled by the Emperor in May 1845, and that was ready in 1847.[3] Conceived by Major Julius Friedrich Koeler, it is considered to be the second planned city in Brazil (afterRecife, designed during the Dutch period), being composed of an urban nucleus – the city (now the center), where the Imperial Palace, Public buildings, commerce and services.
From then on, the city became thede facto capital of theEmpire of Brazil during the summer, with the whole court moving. Large numbers of well-to-do inhabitants of the city ofRio de Janeiro also spent the summer in Petrópolis to escape the outbreaks ofyellow fever. Emperor Pedro II ruled for 49 years, and remained in Petrópolis for at least forty summers, for up to five months. On 29 September 1857, the town was elevated to the status of a city. In 1861, the firstMacadamized Highway in Brazil, Estrada União e Indústria, was inaugurated, connecting Petrópolis to the city ofJuiz de Fora in Minas Gerais. In 1883, a railroad arrived at the city on the initiative of theBaron of Mauá. Also in 1877, the first telephone line in Brazil (and the first outside of the United States) was built, connecting Pedro's summer palace to his farm headquarters.[citation needed]
Regardless of the time of year, foreign diplomatic representatives lived in Petrópolis for most of the imperial period.[citation needed]
Palácio Rio Negro, former summer residence of several Brazilian Presidents
Even after the establishment of the Republic and the exile of the Imperial family in 1889, the city continued to play a significant role in Brazilian history. It was a frequent choice as a summer residence for Presidents of the republic, who lodged at thePalácio Rio Negro (Black River Palace). The most frequent of them wasGetúlio Vargas, whose stays, duringEstado Novo, lasted up to three months.
Between 1894 and 1902, the city was capital of theState of Rio de Janeiro, replacingNiterói, due to the twoNavy Revolts. Also in this period, was chosen Hermogênio Silva, the only Deputy Governor of Rio de Janeiro whose political base was in Petrópolis. In 1897, the first cinema session took place in the city, with a cinematographer showing the Lumière brothers' first films. In 1903, theTreaty of Petrópolis, which gave Brazil theAcre territory, was signed betweenBrazil andBolivia, at the residence of theBaron of Rio Branco.[6][7] The sanitarianOswaldo Cruz was named its first mayor in 1916. On the premises of theQuitandinha Palace, the declaration of war of the American countries to theAxis powers was signed duringWorld War II (1939–1945).[citation needed]
In 1973 the remains ofIsabel, Princess Imperial of Brazil (1846–1921), and her husband, theCount of Eu, were brought to be buried in the Imperial Mausoleum. The Princess received a funeral of the Head of State with the presence of the most important leaders of the Republic and theBrazilian Imperial Family and it was declared a public holiday.[citation needed]
Nestled among the forested hills of theSerra dos Órgãos, in the valley of the Quitandinha andPiabanha rivers, Petrópolis is a popular winter holiday spot. Besides the climate and surroundings, the main attraction is the former Summer Palace of the last Brazilian Emperor, which is now theImperial Museum, specializing in Imperial history and memorabilia.
The temperatures are mild. The annual average is around 19 °C (66 °F). In warmer months, the average temperature is 23 °C (73 °F) and the average of the coldest month is 15 °C (59 °F). According to the National Institute of Meteorology (Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia [pt]), the lowest temperature recorded was −0.7 °C (30.7 °F) on August 2, 1955, and the highest temperature recorded was 36.6 °C (97.9 °F), on November 6, 2009.
Climate data for Petrópolis (Granja Jurity), elevation 980 m (3,220 ft), (1981–2010 normals, extremes 1986–2007)
Petrópolis experienced a strong population growth in the late nineteenth century, which remained less significant throughout the twentieth century. Its population began to stagnate and then contract (even if in a mild way) around the beginning of 2000.[19] According to 2010 data, 52.3% (approximately 155 thousand people) of the population belong to the female sex and 48.7% (about 145 thousand people) to the male sex.
According to the 2010 demographic census, Petrópolis was home to 186,642White people (63.5%), 75,025Mixed people (25.4%), 31,463Black people (10.6%), 970Asian people (0.4%) and 281Amerindian people (0.1%).[21] The main people to participate in the ethnic/cultural formation of Petrópolis were theGermans, thePortuguese, and theAfro-Brazilians. Other ethnic groups likeItalian,Syrian,French andLebanese also had expressive participation in the formation of the city.[22][23][24]
The Emperor St. is a commercial district of Petrópolis.16 Março St. is a business district in downtown.
Petrópolis is divided into five districts, which are subdivided into smaller neighborhoods. These districts are subdivided into neighborhoods and/or urban and rural locations.
Petrópolis
Downtown
North zone:Quissamã, Retiro, Jardim Salvador, Itamarati (parte), Atílio Marotti, Quarteirão Brasileiro, among others.
South zone:Valparaíso, Quitandinha, Duques, Taquara, Parque São Vicente, Coronel Veiga, Castelânea, Siméria, Duas Pontes, Ponte Fones, Quarteirão Suíço, Quarteirão Italiano, Independência, São Sebastião, Saldanha Marinho, Alto Independência, Mauá, among others.
West zone:Bingen, Mosela, Duarte da Silveira, Capela, Castrioto, Pedras Brancas, Vila Militar, Rócio, Bataillard, Moinho Preto, Fazenda Inglesa, Quarteirão Ingelhein, Quarteirão Nassau, among others.
East Zone:Morin, Alto da Serra, 24 de Maio, Vila Felipe, Vila Real, Campinho, Chácara Flora, Sargento Boening, Oswero Vilaça, Meio da Serra, among others.
Districts
Cascatinha – Araras, Vale das Videiras, Bonsucesso, Carangola, Vila Manzini, Castelo São Manoel, Corrêas, Bairro da Glória, Itamarati, Estrada da Saudade, Nogueira, Samambaia, Jardim Salvador, Roseiral, Alcobacinha and Humberto Rovigatti.
Itaipava – Madame Machado, Mangalarga, Vila Rica, Jardim Americano, Vale do Cuiabá, Benfica, Laginha, Gentio, Catubira, Ribeirão, Castelo, Reta, Sumidouro, Santa Mônica, Arranha-Céu, Parque Santa Maria, Parque dos Eucaliptos, Estrada das Arcas and centro de Itaipava
Pedro do Rio – Secretário, Fagundes, Taquaril, Barra Mansa, among others.
Posse – Brejal, Rio Bonito, Tremedeira, Granjas Raposo, Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Jacuba among others.
Petrópolis' economy is based on tourism, services and industry. It is the 2nd largestbeer production center in the country and the headquarters of major Brazilianbrewery companies such asGrupo Petrópolis (which owns the beer brands Itaipava, Crystal, Lokal, Black Princess, and Petra) Bohemia, and also aBrasil Kirin Factory.[25][26]
Other companies also have their headquarters in the city, such as the Mundo Verde network (Brazilian retailer of natural products) and the chocolate maker Katz. Currently, the project is being developed for the Industrial District of Posse, which aims to encourage industries in the 5th district of the city. Petrópolis has the 9th largest GDP of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in front of cities such asNova Friburgo andTeresópolis, and, in national scope, more than six state capitals, such asAracaju,Palmas, andMacapá.
The city's economy is still larger than entire states of the federation, such asRoraima andAcre.
The high season of tourism in Petrópolis begins in July, with the beginning ofBauernfest, and the beginning of winter, which attracts tourists to the city with the cold weather. In 2014, some attractions increased by more than 30%, compared to the same period in 2013, due to theFIFA World Cup Brazil 2014.
It is the city of the mountain region of Rio de Janeiro that receives more tourists per year. Petrópolis was the non-capital that progressed most in the Competitiveness Index of National Tourism in 2014, prepared by the Ministry of Tourism. According to the developers, the city is among the 15 best placed in Brazil in the overall ranking of competitiveness in tourism.
Castle of the Baron of Itaipava, (currently under reformation)
Crystal Palace
District of Itaipava, containing many popular attractions such as the "orto" market, vilareijo, and the municipal park located in the heart of the district.
In addition to these, the city has thePetrópolis Medical School, Arthur Sá Earp Neto College,Estácio de Sá University and the FAETERJ – Faculty of Technological Education of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Faculdade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro), which offers courses in Information Technology and Communication, and private higher education institutions that offer several undergraduate courses and also postgraduate courses (lato sensu andstricto sensu).
In the field of basic education, the municipal education network reached the goal of theBasic Education Development Index (IDEB) for 2011 and had its mark above the averages of the state and the country.
Public transportation in the city is primarily provided bybuses andvans. Several companies offer this service, the largest beingPetroIta.[32] According to theBrazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE)census, in the year of 2014 the total fleet of Petrópolis had 142,576 vehicles, approximately 1 vehicle per 2.1 inhabitants.[33]
The culture of Petrópolis is directly linked to theimperial period of Brazil. Being nicknamed asImperial City, the city has a large collection of theaters, museums, and palaces that refer to the period. In addition, much of the culture of the city was influenced by the immigration that participated in the formation of the identity of Petrópolis, where theGerman,Portuguese,African,Syrian,Lebanese, andItalian groups stand out. The city has the second largest festival ofGerman culture in Brazil, theBauernfest, only losing to theOktoberfest in the south of the country. In addition, festivals are held every year that bring back the culture of other peoples, such as the Serra Serata, in honor ofItalian immigration, theUbuntu Festival, in honor of theAfro-Brazilian legacy, andBunka-Sai, a celebration of theJapanese culture. The Cultural Foundation of Petrópolis promotes every year (since 2009) the Maestro Guerra-Peixe Cultural Prize, which honors the most outstanding artists and cultural agents during the year.César Guerra-Peixe was an illustrious composer of the city.
The city has unique architecture, such as thePalácio Quitandinha, the Petropolitan Academy of Letters, the House Museum of Santos Dumont, theImperial Museum of Brazil, the Dom Pedro Theater, theCasa do Colono Museum, and theCathedral of Saint Peter of Alcantara. The palace is the main building of the so-called "historic center", where Koeler Avenue stands out, surrounded by mansions and palaces of the 19th century. The road is perpendicular to the facade of the Cathedral of Saint Peter of Alcantara and, in the other direction, the Ruy Barbosa Square and the façade of the Catholic University.
In the so-called "historic center", there are also buildings such as "Encantada" (summer house of Santos Dumont); the Crystal Palace; the Yellow Palace (City Council); theRio Negro Palace, bordering the city hall (Sérgio Fadel Palace); and curious buildings such as the "castelinho" of the self-proclaimed "Duke of Belfort", on the corner of Koeler and Ruy Barbosa Square, or the old house of the Rocha Miranda family, on Avenida Ipiranga – same address of another residence of the same family, in a sixties style. Modern lines are also present in the house ofLúcio Costa, in the neighborhood of Samambaia.
Petrópolis has 2 theaters. TheTeatro Dom Pedro, created in Art Deco style and inaugurated in 1933 by D'Angelo & Cia, is one of the largest in the state. The place was created with different styles, with mythological and futuristic references, making the theater considered an eclectic style, becoming a cultural and artistic reference for Petrópolis. The city also owns the Teatro Santa Cecília, built in 1955, located in Rua Aureliano Coutinho in the center of the city.
Petrópolis has great traditions as an imperial city. For this reason, today it owns one of the most important museums of the history of Brazil, the Imperial Museum. Built between 1845 and 1862 as the summer Palace of the Imperial Family, it has a collection of pieces linked to theBrazilian monarchy, including furniture, documents, works of art, and personal objects belonging to the Imperial Family. The Palace was turned into a museum in 1943 by decree of the then presidentGetúlio Vargas. In addition, the city has the Petrópolis Wax Museum,Casa Santos Dumont Museum,Casa do Colono Museum,Princess Isabel House, and Rio Negro Palace, all located in the city center.
With more than 321,000 visitors, the Imperial Museum in Petrópolis was the most visited museum in Brazil in 2016, according to data from the Brazilian Institute of Museums (Ibram) of the Ministry of Culture.[34]
The Petrópolis culture is directly linked to German immigration.[35] Since 1989,Bauernfest, a typical feast in honor of German immigrants, is held every year. The festival in 2012 lasted 11 days, had the participation of 368,000 visitors, and raised R$55 million. The festival welcomes foreign tourists from all over Brazil, especially from the city of Rio de Janeiro. It is the most influential party of the city and includes competitions of chope the meter, presentations, typical cuisine, exhibition of chocolates, among other attractions.[36][37]
The city also holds the Serra Serata, an annual festival that celebrates immigration and Italian culture.[38]
Petrópolis also hosts the Winter Festival, promoted by SESC, with several attractions for this period of the year, which usually happens in the Quitandinha Palace. The festival is already traditional in the cities of Petrópolis, Nova Friburgo, and Teresópolis. In 2014, the 13th edition was held, counting on concerts, theatrical presentations, and cultural events.[39][40][41]
The city also hosts Bunka-Sai, the annual festival of Japanese culture, which had its first edition in 2009. It has cultural presentations, in addition to the Japanese gastronomic festival.[42][43]
In 2013, the carnival of the city was canceled, for the application of funds in the approximate amount of R$1 million, previously used in the parades, in the area of health, thus making Petrópolis a refuge of Cariocas of the Carnival. The decision was made during a meeting between the mayor and the Foundation for Culture and Tourism.[44][45][46]
Henrique Avancini, Brazilian mountain bike racer and road cyclist.
Petrópolis is recognized as one of the largestmountain bike hubs in the world. In 2022, the city hosted one of the stages of theUnion Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Mountain Bike World Cup, after 17 years without the competition being held in Brazil. In 2023, the city hosted theGiants Challenge, an international event that served as a points tally for athletes aiming to qualify for the Mountain Bike competition at theOlympic Games.Henrique Avancini, from Petrópolis, was the first Brazilian in history to assume the top spot in the Mountain Bike World Ranking, putting the country on the sport's scene. Avancini is also a two-time champion in the Mountain Bike Marathon (XCM). He represented Brazil at the2020 Summer Olympics, inTokyo.[47][48][49][50]
The city's main written newspaper is theTribuna de Petrópolis, one of the oldest in the country, created in 1909, published from Tuesday to Sunday, whose headquarters are in the center. Also worthy of note is the newspaperDiário de Petrópolis, published daily, of great influence in the city.[52][53]
The main television station transmitting news related to the city isInterTV Serra + Mar, a division ofRede Globo, as well as other local broadcasters such asSBT Rio andBand Rio, which present news from the Fluminense Mountain Region of Rio de Janeiro, mainly related to Petrópolis andNova Friburgo. The city also has local television networks with a certain influence: Rede Petrópolis de Televisão (RPT), TV Vila Imperial, and TV Cidade de Petrópolis, with headquarters located in the center.[54][55]
The most listened radio stations with headquarters in Petrópolis areRadio Tribuna FM (88.5 MHz),Radio UCP (106.3 MHz),Radio Supernova FM (98.7 MHz), andRadio Imperial (1550 AM). In addition, radio stations based in the city of Rio de Janeiro, such as theMIX FM Rio Radio, are also much listened to.[56][57]
In recent years, the internet has emerged as the main mechanism for news consumption. In Petrópolis, some important news portals includes theG1 Portal of the Fluminense Mountain Region, the online portal of the Tribuna de Petrópolis, and the Diário de Petrópolis website and social media.[58][59][60]
Elizabeth Bishop, American poet and short-story writer, lived partly in Petrópolis for 17 years (1944–1961) withLota de Macedo Soares, architect and landscape designer[64]
_tiradas_da_Catedral.JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_tiradas_da_Catedral.JPG)
.jpg)
