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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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