Serra dos Órgãos
Encyclopedia
Serra dos Órgãos is a mountain range in the state of Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
, which was turned into a national park
in 1939. It is located about a one-hour drive from the city of Rio de Janeiro
.
The Serra dos Órgãos National Park was created in 1939 as the third national park in Brazil. The objective was to protect the native forest on the hillsides and the fresh water springs abundant in the region. When created the park occupied land previously controlled by four municipalities: Petrópolis
, Teresópolis
, Guapimirim and Magé
.
The origin of the unusual name is credited to early Portuguese
settlers who thought the ensemble of the hill tops resembled the pipes of organs
in European cathedral
s.
The Park's area is 110 square kilometres (42.5 sq mi) and it has 10 peaks higher than 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) and six other peaks over 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft) high. The lowest point in the park is located in the relatively flat municipality of Magé
, at 145 metres (475.7 ft). The highest peak is Pedra do Sino (Bell Rock), at 2263 metres (7,424.5 ft). The most famous formation in the park is the Dedo de Deus (God's Finger) rock, which resembles a left hand with its index finger
stretched, pointing towards the sky. It is 1692 metres (5,551.2 ft) high and can be seen in the background of the flag of the Rio de Janeiro
state.
The park is part of the larger Serra do Mar
chain of mountains, and the most accepted theory about its origin is that it rose about 60 million years ago during earthquakes that caused the Andes
to rise. That means it is located in a geologically unstable location, although no incident has ever been recorded in the area.
Temperatures in the mountains can fall as low as 4 °C (39.2 °F), and the average temperature at 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) is 17 °C (62.6 °F). Humidity
is between 80 and 90% on average, but it can reach 99% at higher altitudes.
The park is one of the few natural habitats of species of Schlumbergera
, which were developed into the colourful "Thanksgiving Cactus" and "Christmas Cactus", widely grown as house plants.
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, which was turned into a national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
in 1939. It is located about a one-hour drive from the city of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
.
The Serra dos Órgãos National Park was created in 1939 as the third national park in Brazil. The objective was to protect the native forest on the hillsides and the fresh water springs abundant in the region. When created the park occupied land previously controlled by four municipalities: Petrópolis
Petrópolis
Petrópolis , also known as The Imperial City of Brazil, is a town in the state of Rio de Janeiro, about 65 km from the city of Rio de Janeiro....
, Teresópolis
Teresópolis
Teresópolis is a Brazilian municipality located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, in a mountainous region known as Região Serrana. The Serra dos Órgãos National Park lies partly within the city limits.-History:...
, Guapimirim and Magé
Magé
Magé is a city and a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.Magepe-Mirim was established in 1566 by Portuguese colonists...
.
The origin of the unusual name is credited to early Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
settlers who thought the ensemble of the hill tops resembled the pipes of organs
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
in European cathedral
Cathedral
A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
s.
The Park's area is 110 square kilometres (42.5 sq mi) and it has 10 peaks higher than 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft) and six other peaks over 1500 metres (4,921.3 ft) high. The lowest point in the park is located in the relatively flat municipality of Magé
Magé
Magé is a city and a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.Magepe-Mirim was established in 1566 by Portuguese colonists...
, at 145 metres (475.7 ft). The highest peak is Pedra do Sino (Bell Rock), at 2263 metres (7,424.5 ft). The most famous formation in the park is the Dedo de Deus (God's Finger) rock, which resembles a left hand with its index finger
Finger
A finger is a limb of the human body and a type of digit, an organ of manipulation and sensation found in the hands of humans and other primates....
stretched, pointing towards the sky. It is 1692 metres (5,551.2 ft) high and can be seen in the background of the flag of the Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
state.
The park is part of the larger Serra do Mar
Serra do Mar
Serra do Mar is a 1,500 km long system of mountain ranges and escarpments in Southeastern Brazil, which runs in parallel to the Atlantic Ocean coast from the state of Espírito Santo to southern Santa Catarina, although some include Serra Geral in the Serra do Mar, in which case this range...
chain of mountains, and the most accepted theory about its origin is that it rose about 60 million years ago during earthquakes that caused the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
to rise. That means it is located in a geologically unstable location, although no incident has ever been recorded in the area.
Temperatures in the mountains can fall as low as 4 °C (39.2 °F), and the average temperature at 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) is 17 °C (62.6 °F). Humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
is between 80 and 90% on average, but it can reach 99% at higher altitudes.
The park is one of the few natural habitats of species of Schlumbergera
Schlumbergera
Schlumbergera is a genus of cactus from the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. Plants grow on trees or rocks in habitats which are generally shady with high humidity and can be quite different in appearance from their desert-dwelling cousins...
, which were developed into the colourful "Thanksgiving Cactus" and "Christmas Cactus", widely grown as house plants.