351 years of the city of Manaus

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Manaus 351 years. The home of hospitable, warm, cheerful and very engaging people. This city that celebrates its 351st anniversary this Saturday, October 24th, is one of the most beautiful destinations in Brazil and has a special touch that no other city has: the people, nature and its history.

Manaus é o lar de pessoas hospitaleiras, calorosas, com um bom ânimo e muito envolventes. Essa cidade que comemora o seu 351º aniversário nesse sábado, dia 24 de outubro, é um dos mais belos destinos do Brasil e tem um toque especial que nenhuma outra cidade tem: as pessoas, a natureza e sua história.

Located in the heart of the Amazon, surrounded by the most famous rivers in the world and by the most illustrious natural landscapes existing in the Amazon, Manaus stands out among the most populated cities in the country with about 2,130,264 inhabitants.

Manaus 351 anos: O Brasil abriga a maior floresta tropical do planeta que é a Floresta Amazônica. Ela faz parte do bioma Amazônia, o maior dos seis biomas brasileiros, correspondente a 53% das florestas tropicais ainda existentes. Essa floresta abriga uma enorme biodiversidade em fauna e flora, e a sua proteção é essencial para o Mundo.
Source: Veja – Grupo ABRIL

Although we have lived through difficult times, today we celebrate life and the honor of being in this wonderful land, where we have the pleasure of enjoying all that is good such as cuisine, summer and tourist attractions. And for this reason, we invite you today to know a little more about the history of our land, besides knowing more about the buildings and iconic natural attractions that only exist here.

Historicity of the largest city in the North

Founded a long time ago, Manaus was just a fort made of clay and stones, called Forte de São José da Barra do Rio Negro, which was used by the Portuguese to protect northern Brazil from Spanish invaders. Around this fort lived several indigenous people from different villages: the barés, the banibés, the passes, and the manaós (who gave origin to the name of the city).

Manaus 351 anos: Fundada há muito tempo atrás, Manaus era apenas um forte feito de barro e pedras, chamado de Forte de São José da Barra do Rio Negro
Source: História Inteligente

It was only in the second half of the 17th century that this settlement of Indians was elevated to the category of Place, the Place of Barra do Rio Negro, and at the end of that same century it became the provisional headquarters of the Capitania of Rio Negro, under the government of Manoel da Gama Lobo d’Almada.

Officially, the Vila de Barcelos was still the headquarters of the Capitania of Rio Negro. Still in the colonial period, the village surrounding the fortress was not elevated to the village. It was only in 1833 that the Provincial Council of Pará divided the Pará province into three districts, Grão-Pará, Baixo Amazonas and Alto Amazonas.

Manaus 351 anos: Foi só em 1833 que o Conselho Provincial do Pará dividiu a província paraense em três comarcas, Grão-Pará, Baixo Amazonas e Alto Amazonas.
Source: Amazonas Em Tempo

In 1848, Vila da Barra was elevated to the category of city, with the name of City of Barra of Rio Negro, to receive in 1856 the name of Manáos, in honor of the indigenous nation of Manáos (Mother of Gods), considered the most important ethnic group inhabiting the region, historically recognized for its courage and bravery.

The Fortress that gave birth to the city disappeared in ruins around 1850 in a fire, giving way to a building that currently belongs to the administration of the Port of Manaus.

The Golden Age of Rubber

The Federative Republic of Brazil was proclaimed on November 15, 1889 in Rio de Janeiro, when the period of the Empire ended. With this, the province of Amazonas became the State of Amazonas, with the City of Manaós as its capital.

A borracha, matéria-prima das indústrias mundiais, era cada vez mais requisitada, e o Amazonas, como um dos principais produtores mundiais, orientou sua economia para atender à crescente demanda.
Source: IBC Borrachas

Rubber, the raw material for the world’s industries, was increasingly in demand, and the Amazon, as one of the world’s leading producers, directed its economy to meet the growing demand. And according to the census of that time, about 2 thousand foreigners immigrated to Amazonas, attracted by the production of rubber, and most of them started to live in Manaus. Most were Portuguese, English, French and Italians.

Manaus 351 anos: E de acordo com o censo daquela época, cerca de 2 mil estrangeiros imigraram para o Amazonas, atraídos pela produção da borracha, sendo que a maioria desses passou a viver em Manaus. A maioria era composta de portugueses, ingleses, franceses e italianos.
Source: Realidades Urbanas

During this period the Northeasterners were hit by a Great Drought (1877 – 1878), which caused more than 1 million deaths and attracted many northeasterners to come to Manaus in order to escape this sad phenomenon.

Belle Époque of Manaus

With the end of the Empire and the transformation of the Province of Amazonas into a state, Manaus became capital. From the end of the 1870s on, Manaus would have one of the most prosperous economic periods in the country’s history and would bring great progress to the region.

No ano de 1892, inicia-se o governo de Eduardo Ribeiro, e com isso damos um salto para uma intensa transformação na essência de Manaus.
Source: Blog do Marcus Pessoa

In 1892, Eduardo Ribeiro’s government began, and with that we made a leap towards an intense transformation in the essence of Manaus. With the coming of northeasterners to Manaus from the escape of the Great Drought, there was much influence on Portuguese linguistics and local culture.

Under Ribeiro’s administration, buildings were built that are postcards of Manaus: the Teatro Amazonas, the Reserva do Mocó and the Palácio da Justiça. With the rubber fortune, the Rio Negro Palace, the Provincial Palace and the Adolpho Lisbon Market were also built. All buildings influenced by the European style.

Manaus 351 anos: Sob a administração de Ribeiro, foram construídos prédios que são cartões postais de Manaus: o Teatro Amazonas, o Reservatório do Mocó e o Palácio da Justiça.
Source: Rede Manaus Hotéis

In the golden age of rubber, Manaus lived its glory years, with wealthy inhabitants. The city had five large houses for its 50 thousand inhabitants and was among the best served capitals in terms of entertainment, especially when faced with other capitals such as Lisbon (11 houses for 500 thousand inhabitants) or Rio de Janeiro (11 houses for 800 thousand inhabitants).

Innovations and infrastructure

The city won the collective transportation service of electric streetcars, telephone, electric power – the second electric network in Brazil dated from 1895 -, piped water, besides a floating port that started to receive ships of the most varied draughts and of several flags.

Manaus 351 anos: A cidade ganhou o serviço de transporte coletivo de bondes elétricos, telefonia, energia elétrica – a segunda rede elétrica do Brasil datada de 1895 –, água encanada, além de um porto flutuante que passou a receber navios dos mais variados calados e de diversas bandeiras.
Fonte: Instituto Durango Duarte

The rubber metropolis began the 1900s with a population of over 50,000 inhabitants, with straight and long streets, sidewalks with granite and lioz stones imported from Portugal, well cared squares and gardens, beautiful fountains and monuments, a sumptuous theater, hotels, banking establishments, palaces and all the refinements of a modern city.

A metrópole da borracha iniciou os anos de 1900 com uma população acima de 50 mil habitantes, com ruas retas e longas, calçadas com granito e pedras de lioz importadas de Portugal,
Fonte: Pinterest

Economic development also provided a great circulation of ideas and allowed the emergence of a core of doctors who were aware of the most advanced scientific discussions on combating tropical diseases. Newly established tropical medical schools, such as those in London and Liverpool, England, sent frequent missions to Manaus.

Decline and crisis

In May 1910, traders and businessmen would be surprised by the slow but steady decline in the price of Brazilian rubber, which would lead the Amazon and its capital to deep economic stagnation. Manaus was surprised by the very strong competition from the natural rubber planted and extracted from the serigals of Asia.

Manaus 351 anos: Manaus foi surpreendida pela fortíssima concorrência da borracha natural plantada e extraída dos seringais da Ásia.
Source: História Inteligente

By the end of 1910, the rubber barons understood that the golden age was ending.

When interest in rubber diminished, the city suffered. Only a long time later, between 1950 and 1960, with the creation of the Manaus Free Zone, the city grew again, with industry and commerce. Tourism also grew, and today Manaus attracts many visitors.

Manaus 351 anos: com a criação da Zona Franca de Manaus, a cidade voltou a crescer, com a indústria e o comércio
Source: História de Manaus

Manaus is a metropolis, after all, but it is still in the middle of the Amazon forest.

Manaus Free Zone

The Manaus Free Trade Zone was born in 1957 and was perfected 10 years later to include other states in the Northern region. Based on a fiscal improvement area to attract factories, the ZFM is defined in its decree as “an area of import and export free trade and special tax incentives”. For many economists, the Free Trade Zone has given Brazil a ‘face’, showing that the country has strength in the industrial scenario.

Para muitos economistas, a Zona Franca deu uma ‘cara’ ao Brasil, mostrando que o país tem força no cenário industrial.
Source: O Globo

On the economic and educational issue, it is among the five Brazilian municipalities with a participation above 0.5% in the country’s GDP that grow the most, and is home to the oldest university in the country, the Federal University of Amazonas, founded in 1909. According to data released by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the HDI of Manaus rose from 0.601 in 2000 to 0.737 in 2010, considered high, a growth rate of 22.63%.

Attractions and places to visit in Manaus

Bernardo Ramos Street

Bernardo Ramos street is the first and oldest in Manaus, according to historical records. Created on the island of São Vicente together with the construction of the Fort of São José do Rio Negro, and marks the process of urbanization in the capital of Amazonia, used as a proposal in the process of revitalization of the Historical Center.

Manaus 351 anos: A Rua Bernardo Ramos é a primeira e mais antiga rua de Manaus, de acordo com registros históricos. Criada na Ilha de São Vicente em conjunto à construção do Forte de São José do Rio Negro, e marca o processo de urbanização na capital amazonense, usada como proposta no processo de revitalização do Centro Histórico.
Source: Amazonas e mais

Located in the center of Manaus, next to the Museum of the City of Manaus, the Bernardo Ramos street had as initial proposal a bold way to innovate and beautify the city, with original and old reference elements, with a modern tone that would enrich the structure in the new without erasing the past.

Amazonas Theater

The majestic Teatro Amazonas was built in the period of Amazonian wealth, known as Belle Époque, where the latéx extracted from the rubber tree fomented the Amazonian economy.

Manaus 351 anos: O impetuoso Teatro Amazonas foi construído no período de riqueza Amazônica, conhecido como Belle Époque, onde o latéx extraído da seringueira fomentava a economia amazonense.

With Renaissance and eclectic architectural style, the composition of the construction involves several artists such as Crispim do Amaral, responsible for the construction of the internal hall and Domenico de Angelis, responsible for the ornamentation of the noble hall.

Óscar Ramos Cultural Center

Recently inaugurated, the Óscar Ramos Cultural Center bears the name of one of the main Amazonian artists.

Manaus 351 anos: Atrativos Turísticos em Manaus: O Centro Cultural Óscar Ramos foi inaugurado no aniversário de 350 anos da cidade de Manaus, levando o nome de um dos principais artistas amazonenses.
Fonte: Amazonas e mais

It is located at Bernardo Ramos Street, one of the oldest streets of Manaus, close to iconic monuments and known in the historical center. Because it is a relatively new cultural center, there are still people who think it is an old privately owned house.

Palace of Justice

Built in the 19th century specifically to serve the facilities of the Judiciary of the State of Amazonas at the time, the Palace of Justice is located on Avenida Eduardo Ribeiro, facing the Teatro Amazonas.

Manaus 351 anos: Atrativos Turísticos em Manaus: Período em que a economia amazonense se destacou por sua riqueza advinda da extração e da venda do látex. Manaus era comumente denominada de a Paris dos Trópicos.
Source: Tipo Manaus

In the Cultural Center, the Crime Museum room, where the most famous crimes of the city of Manaus are shown, the Jury’s Court rooms and the Full Court Room.

Largo Gallery

Located in front of the Largo de São Sebastião and the Teatro Amazonas, in the historical center of Manaus, the Centro de Artes Visuais Galeria do Largo is very important for the history of the Amazon population.

Manaus 351 anos: Atrativos Turísticos em Manaus: O Centro de Artes Visuais Galeria do Largo é muito importante para a população amazonense, onde são expostas várias obras culturais e artísticas de artistas amazonenses, como Luiz Lima, Alonso Júnior e Micael Santos.
Source: Amazonas Em Tempo

In this gallery are exposed several cultural and artistic works of Amazonian artists, such as Luiz Lima, Alonso Júnior and Micael Santos.

Amazon Museum

The Amazon Museum (MUSA) is well known for its 42m high observation tower, surrounded by trees and with an exuberant landscape. It has a beautiful botanical garden and trails, with possibilities to sight some species of animals that are free in the forest.

O Museu da Amazônia popularmente conhecido como Musa, foi fundado no ano de 2009 para preservar mais de 100 hectares da Reserva Florestal Adolpho Ducke.

MUSA is located at Avenida Margarita s/n, Cidade de Deus, and operates from Monday to Sunday – except Wednesdays – from 9am to 5pm.

Beaches in Manaus

The main beaches around Manaus are Praia Dourada, Praia da Lua and Praia do Japonês. Praia Dourada receives many visitors precisely because it is surrounded by floats, which have great infrastructure, good cuisine, a very tropical sound and that make the atmosphere of the place even more Amazonian.

O turismo náutico atrelado ao turismo de sol e praia tem se destacado e atraído diversas pessoas que buscam conhecer praias ou atrativos naturais a bordo de uma lancha. Em Manaus há diversas praias belíssimas que podem ser acessadas a bordo de uma lancha, assim como é possível apreciar as belezas naturais que também se destacam durante os passeios náuticos.
Source: Amazonas e mais

Praia da Lua is also one of the most famous beaches in the city, because it has a half-moon shape and has white sands and a smaller flow of people than Praia da Ponta Negra. It is one of the main meeting points for bathers in the city of Manaus.

A Praia da Lua é uma das mais famosas na cidade e leva esse nome devido ao seu formato ser igual à uma meia lua. Uma praia muito frequentada, com localidade ser de bom acesso para barcos e lanchas.

The Japonês Beach is a much more private beach and has little infrastructure, but it is worth a visit because of its natural landscape. The white sand and the river waters that surround this beach make the environment even more pleasant.

Tacacá da Gisela

Near the Teatro Amazonas is located the traditional Tacacá da Gisela, one of the most famous stops of the Amazonian cuisine. There you can try the tacacá, a delicacy with a strong taste and served very hot, made with mandioca-brava, tucupi, gum, jambu and shrimp.

O tacacá é um tipo de sopa feito à base de molho de tucupi (um molho amarelo feito de mandioca brava) e goma (farinha de tapioca), que tem efeitos que interrompem a acidez, acompanhado de camarões salgados e folhas de jambu, que dão a sensação de uma leve anestesia na boca. Geralmente servido em uma cuia com casca de coco.
Source: 3em3

Floating

Manaus is a city that attracts a lot of attention for being surrounded by its forests and rivers. There is a variety of tours that can be explored and many leisure options during the week and holidays, as we can mention the floating ones.

Manaus 351 anos: Manaus é uma cidade que chama muita atenção por ser rodeada por floresta e rios. Existe uma variedade de passeios que podem ser exploradas e muitas opções de lazer durante a semana e em feriados, a exemplo disto, podemos citar os flutuantes.
Source: Amazonas e mais

This type of leisure is not of today, but it has gained a space for the practicality of contact with nature, structure and decoration that is offered, and for the incredible scenery of colors in the evening that it provides to those who visit this environment.

351 years of Manaus

In the 351 years of Manaus we have celebrated the history of our land, and we hope that in 2021 we can celebrate in a great feast with our people.

A cidade de Manaus tem boas opções de turismo noturno para quem gosta de curtir a noite. Em passeios no Centro Histórico, jantares em restaurantes regionais, bares e pubs localizados nos badalados bairros de Adrianópolis e Vieiralves e, ainda, passeios em embarcações pela orla do rio Negro, as possibilidades de incríveis experiências são as mais diversificadas.
Source: Soy America

Being a people who lives in Manaus and being part of this city shows us how lucky we are to live in a splendid place, surrounded by culture, magic and tropical charms, both in the part of nature and its inhabitants.

If you are looking to live incredible adventures, visit Manaus!

With RBarcos, you can experience incredible experiences in the Amazon in one of our exclusive boats or in one of our nautical packages. By accessing the platform, you choose the ideal package for your trip and live an incredible experience in the Amazon.

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