Viamão
Encyclopedia
Viamão is a city in Rio Grande do Sul
, Brazil
. In size it is the largest municipality in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre
and the seventh most populous
in the state.
The origin of the name Viamão is controversial. The more common explanation is that atop the hills of the region it is possible to see the Guaíba River
and its five inlets: Jacuí
, Caí
, Gravataí
, Taquari
and Rio dos Sinos, which form an open hand. This is said to have lent the city its name -from the phrase "Vi a mão," meaning, "I saw the hand."
was a trade route between the cities Laguna
and Colônia do Sacramento
. Various colonists created cattle ranches and plantations here. In 1725, Cosme da Silveira, a member of Captain João de Magalhães' fleet, settled in the Viamão region. He was joined by Francisco Carvalho da Cunha in 1741, who created the Estância Grande site, where the church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Immaculate Conception
) would be built. In 1747, the colony was declared a civil parish. With the Spanish invasion of 1766, it became necessary to install a government center for the captaincy. Viamão served as the seat of the governor until 1773. At that time, the seat was transferred to Porto dos Casais (which later became Porto Alegre
). In 1880, Porto Alegre became its own separate municipality.
In 1889, with the advent of the Republic and the dissolution of the Municipal Chambers as an executive power, the city elected its first mayor, Lt.-Col. Tristão José de Fraga, who previously served as the president of the above-mentioned Municipal Chambers. The second mayor would be Col. Felisberto Luiz de Barcellos.
The economic importance of the region, for being the first cattle ranch, grew from the commerce and transport of dried meat (charque
) and leather
to Laguna
and São Paulo
. The three commercial routes at the time began where Viamão is located today. The main road, the Estrada Real ("Royal Road"), left the city and passed through Vacaria
, Lages
, Curitibanos
, Papanduva
, Rio Negro
, Campo do Tenente
, Lapa
, Palmeira
, Ponta Grossa
, Castro
, Piraí do Sul
, Jaguariaiva
, Itararé
and arriving at Sorocaba
. Another route was over the coastal regions until Laguna.
Within Viamão's limits is the Saint-Hilaire Park, which boasts natural freshwater springs and an abundant wildlife, despite its proximity to a large urban region. The park's integrity, due to an ever-encroaching population in the last few decades, has become progressively threatened. Its name comes from the famous traveler Augustin Saint-Hilaire
, who passed through Rio Grande do Sul
describing its natural aspects and regional customs. The following sentence is attributed to him: "In this state, there are no residents, there are only survivors." The reason why he said that is the weather, that can be extremely humid, making winters feel colder and summers hotter.
Another must-see is the church of the Immaculate Conception, a National Heritage site, the second oldest church in the state, built between 1766 and 1769 in severe colonial baroque
style, but with splendid rococo
altars inside.
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, 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...
. In size it is the largest municipality in the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
and the seventh most populous
Largest cities in Rio Grande do Sul by population
Largest cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil by population, in descending order:-References: , Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, Accessed on 2007-03-20....
in the state.
The origin of the name Viamão is controversial. The more common explanation is that atop the hills of the region it is possible to see the Guaíba River
Guaíba River
The Guaíba River is a waterway in Rio Grande do Sul, a state of southern Brazil. It is famous for its beautiful reflection at sunset. The Guaíba is an extension of the Lagoa dos Patos, a huge coastal lagoon to the south, and although commonly referred to as a river, the Guaíba is a brackish water...
and its five inlets: Jacuí
Jacuí River
The Jacuí River is a river in Rio Grande do Sul state of southern Brazil. The Jacuí empties into the Guaíba River, an estuarine arm of the Lagoa dos Patos, a large coastal lagoon connected to the Atlantic Ocean....
, Caí
Cai
Cai can refer to:*Cai , a common Chinese surname*Cai , a state in ancient China*Caí River, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil*Cái River, Vietnam* Sir Kay, a character in Arthurian legend, spelt Cai in Welsh...
, Gravataí
Gravataí River
Gravataí River is a river that runs along Gravataí .The river was considered the 2nd most polluted of Brazil!...
, Taquari
Taquari
-See also:*List of municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul...
and Rio dos Sinos, which form an open hand. This is said to have lent the city its name -from the phrase "Vi a mão," meaning, "I saw the hand."
History
In the 18th century the region of the modern state Rio Grande do SulRio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
was a trade route between the cities Laguna
Laguna, Santa Catarina
Laguna is a Brazilian city located in the southern state of Santa Catarina, 120 kilometers south of the state's capital, Florianópolis, and north east of Porto Alegre. Its coordinates are 28.48/28°28'57" S and the longitude is 48.779/48°46'51" W. In 2004, the population was 48,956 and the area was...
and Colônia do Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, by the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the oldest town in Uruguay and capital of the departamento of Colonia. It has a population of around 22,000.It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
. Various colonists created cattle ranches and plantations here. In 1725, Cosme da Silveira, a member of Captain João de Magalhães' fleet, settled in the Viamão region. He was joined by Francisco Carvalho da Cunha in 1741, who created the Estância Grande site, where the church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a dogma of the Roman Catholic Church, according to which the Virgin Mary was conceived without any stain of original sin. It is one of the four dogmata in Roman Catholic Mariology...
) would be built. In 1747, the colony was declared a civil parish. With the Spanish invasion of 1766, it became necessary to install a government center for the captaincy. Viamão served as the seat of the governor until 1773. At that time, the seat was transferred to Porto dos Casais (which later became Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
). In 1880, Porto Alegre became its own separate municipality.
In 1889, with the advent of the Republic and the dissolution of the Municipal Chambers as an executive power, the city elected its first mayor, Lt.-Col. Tristão José de Fraga, who previously served as the president of the above-mentioned Municipal Chambers. The second mayor would be Col. Felisberto Luiz de Barcellos.
The economic importance of the region, for being the first cattle ranch, grew from the commerce and transport of dried meat (charque
Charqui
Charqui or charque, is a form of jerky common in South America made from dried and salted meat, originally llama where this animal roamed, nowadays mostly beef. Llama is still widely used in Bolivia. This curing was done so the meat could be stored for a long period. This was a very popular way to...
) and leather
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
to Laguna
Laguna, Santa Catarina
Laguna is a Brazilian city located in the southern state of Santa Catarina, 120 kilometers south of the state's capital, Florianópolis, and north east of Porto Alegre. Its coordinates are 28.48/28°28'57" S and the longitude is 48.779/48°46'51" W. In 2004, the population was 48,956 and the area was...
and São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
. The three commercial routes at the time began where Viamão is located today. The main road, the Estrada Real ("Royal Road"), left the city and passed through Vacaria
Vacaria
Vacaria is a Brazilian city in the northeast of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is located at a latitude of 28° 30' 44" South and a longitude of 50° 56' 02" west, with an altitude of 971 meters. Its population in 2010 was estimated to be 61,345 inhabitants. The total area of the city is...
, Lages
Lages
Lages, formerly Lajens, is a Brazilian town located in the central part of the state of Santa Catarina, in the region known in Portuguese as "Planalto Serrano"....
, Curitibanos
Curitibanos
Curitibanos is a city in Santa Catarina, Brazil....
, Papanduva
Papanduva
Papanduva is a town and municipality in the state of Santa Catarina in the South region of Brazil.-References:...
, Rio Negro
Rio Negro, Paraná
Rio Negro, Paraná is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, Campo do Tenente
Campo do Tenente
Campo do Tenente is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, Lapa
Lapa, Paraná
Lapa, Paraná is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, Palmeira
Palmeira, Paraná
Palmeira is a Brazilian city in the state of Paraná. It is situated at south latitude 25º25'46" and west longitude 50º00'23", at an altitude of 865 meters. Its population in 2004 was 31,771 inhabitants.-External links:*...
, Ponta Grossa
Ponta Grossa
Ponta Grossa is a city in the state of Paraná, Brazil. With a population of over 315,000 inhabitants, it is the 4th most populous city of Paraná.It is the second industrial pole of the State, exceeded only by Curitiba—the State's capital and largest city...
, Castro
Castro, Paraná
-Castrolanda:One of the tows of Castro is Castrolanda. Castrolanda is a colony that was founded by Netherlands immigrants between 1951 and 1954. Its economy is based on agricultural production and dairy farming which is one of the most important in this region that is considered the largest dairy...
, Piraí do Sul
Piraí do Sul
Piraí do Sul is a city and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, Jaguariaiva
Jaguariaíva
Jaguariaíva is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, Itararé
Itararé
Itararé is a municipality in the state of São Paulo in Brazil. The population in 2004 was 48,973 and the area is 1005.8 km². The elevation is 740 m. This place name comes from the Tupi language....
and arriving at Sorocaba
Sorocaba
Sorocaba is a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Sorocaba is the fourth largest city in the state of São Paulo. Outside the Greater São Paulo region, it ranks behind only Campinas, Sao Jose dos Campos and Ribeirão Preto...
. Another route was over the coastal regions until Laguna.
Recent mayors
- By Workers' PartyWorkers' PartyWorkers' Party is a name used by a number of political parties throughout the world. While the name has been used by both left-wing and right-wing organizations, it is currently used by left-wing followers of Communism, Maoism, Marxism, Marxism-Leninism, Social Democracy, Socialism and...
, Alex Sander Boscaini (2005 - incumbent);
- By Workers' PartyWorkers' PartyWorkers' Party is a name used by a number of political parties throughout the world. While the name has been used by both left-wing and right-wing organizations, it is currently used by left-wing followers of Communism, Maoism, Marxism, Marxism-Leninism, Social Democracy, Socialism and...
, Eliseu Fagundes Chaves "Ridi" (1997-2004);
- By Brazilian Democratic Movement Party, Pedro Antonio de Godoy (1993 - 1996);
- By Democratic Labour PartyDemocratic Labour PartyThe Democratic Labour Party is a name used by many political parties:* Democratic Labour Party * Democratic Labour Party * Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania* Democratic Labour Party...
, Jorge Prates Chiden (1989 - 1992);
- By Democratic Labour PartyDemocratic Labour PartyThe Democratic Labour Party is a name used by many political parties:* Democratic Labour Party * Democratic Labour Party * Democratic Labour Party of Lithuania* Democratic Labour Party...
, Tapir Tabajara Canto da Rocha (1983 - 1988).
Places of interest
Augustin Saint-Hilaire
Augustin François César Prouvençal de Saint-Hilaire , French botanist and traveler, was born at Orléans, France, on 4 October 1779. He began to publish memoirs on botanical subjects at an early age...
, who passed through Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
describing its natural aspects and regional customs. The following sentence is attributed to him: "In this state, there are no residents, there are only survivors." The reason why he said that is the weather, that can be extremely humid, making winters feel colder and summers hotter.
Another must-see is the church of the Immaculate Conception, a National Heritage site, the second oldest church in the state, built between 1766 and 1769 in severe colonial baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style, but with splendid rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
altars inside.