Pelotas is a
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
ian city, the third
most populousLargest 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 southern state of
Rio Grande do SulRio Grande do Sul is the southernmost State of Brazil, and the State with the fourth highest Human Development Index in the country. In Rio Grande do Sul we can find the most southern city of the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay...
. Pelotas is located 271 km (168 mi) from
Porto AlegrePorto Alegre is the eleventh most populous municipality in Brazil and the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian state. Porto Alegre is one of the most important cultural, political and economic centers of...
, the capital city of the state, and 150 km (93 mi) from the
UruguayUruguay , is a country located in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to 3.46 million people, of whom 1.1 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area. An estimated 88–94% of the population are of mostly European and/or mixed descent.Uruguay's only land border is...
an border. The
Lagoa dos PatosLagoa dos Patos is the second largest lagoon in Latin America and the biggest in Brazil. It is located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. It is 174 miles long, has a maximum width of 44 miles , and a total area of 3,803 sq. mi. . It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
lies to the east and the
São Gonçalo ChannelThe São Gonçalo Channel is a navigable channel connecting two large coastal lagoons, Lagoa Mirim and Lagoa dos Patos, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. At its eastern end, it separates the municipalities of Rio Grande to the south from Pelotas to the north....
lies to the south, separating Pelotas from the city of
Rio GrandeRio Grande is the oldest city in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and also the former state capital from 1835 to 1845...
.
In the 19th century, Pelotas was
Brazil'sBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
leading center for the production of dried meat (
charque), a staple food made by slaves and destined to feed the slaves of
sugarcaneSugarcane, or sugar cane, is any of six to thirty-seven species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six meters tall...
,
coffeeCoffee is a brewed beverage prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of "coffee cherries" that grow on trees in over 70 countries. It has been said that green coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world behind crude oil. Due to its...
and
cocoaCocoa is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of the cacao tree, from which chocolate is made. "Cocoa" can often also refer to the drink commonly known as hot chocolate; to cocoa powder, the dry powder made by grinding cocoa seeds and removing the cocoa butter from the dark, bitter cocoa...
plantations across the country.
Currently Pelotas hosts two major universities, the
Federal University of PelotasThe Universidade Federal de Pelotas is a higher-learning facility with campuses in Pelotas and Capão do Leão in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.- External links :*...
, and the
Catholic University of PelotasThe Catholic University of Pelotas is a private religious university located in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It also has campuses in five other municipalities: Arroio Grande, Canguçu, Pinheiro Machado, Piratini and Santa Vitória do Palmar....
. Together, they account for a population of 22 thousand higher education students.
The city has three football clubs:
Esporte Clube PelotasEsporte Clube Pelotas, usually known simply as Pelotas, is a Brazilian football club in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul. The club competed several times in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série B and in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série C, and won the Campeonato Gaúcho in 1930...
(founded 1908),
Grêmio Esportivo BrasilGrêmio Esportivo Brasil, also known as Brasil de Pelotas, is a Brazilian football team in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul.-History:Grêmio Esportivo Brasil was founded after a divergency between players and directors of Sport Club Cruzeiro do Sul, which was supported and managed by employees of...
(also known as
Brasil de Pelotas; founded 1911) and Grêmio Atlético Farroupilha (founded 1926).
History
The history of the city begins in June 1758, through a donation that Gomes Freire de Andrade, Count of Bobadela, made to Colonel Thomáz Luiz Osório, giving him land that lay on the banks of the
Lagoa dos PatosLagoa dos Patos is the second largest lagoon in Latin America and the biggest in Brazil. It is located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. It is 174 miles long, has a maximum width of 44 miles , and a total area of 3,803 sq. mi. . It is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a...
. In 1763, fleeing the Spanish invasion, many inhabitants of the village
Rio GrandeRio Grande is the oldest city in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and also the former state capital from 1835 to 1845...
sought refuge in the land belonging to Osório. Later, there also came refugees from
Colônia do SacramentoColonia 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 21,714 .It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
, which had been handed over by the Portuguese to the Spanish in 1777.
In 1780, the Portuguese rancher José Pinto Martins established himself in Pelotas. The prosperity of his establishment stimulated the creation of other ranches and growth in the region, creating a population that would define the early city.
The Civil Parish of São Francisco de Paula, founded on June 7, 1812, by Father Pedro Pereira de Mesquita, was elevated to the category of town on April 7, 1832. Three years later, in 1835, the town was declared a city, bearing the name Pelotas.
In Brazil, 'pelota' can refer to a leather raft, and the name of the city comes from the boats made of cork oak covered with animal skins, used to cross rivers in ranching times.
In the first years of the 20th century, progress was stimulated by the Banco Pelotense (Bank of Pelotas), founded in 1906 by local investors. Its liquidation, in 1931, was devastating to the local economy.
In 1990, the Urban
ConurbationA conurbation is an urban area or agglomeration comprising a number of cities, large towns and larger urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
of Pelotas was created as a result of a state law. In 2001, it became the Urban Conurbation of Pelotas and Rio Grande, and in 2002 the Urban Conurbation of the South. The goal is to integrate the participating towns and is the embryo of a future metropolitan region including the towns os Arroio do Padre,
Capão do Leão{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" style="float:right; empty-cells:show; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:0,5em; background:#FFDEAD;"|-! colspan="2" | Map|---- bgcolor="#FFFFFF"! colspan="2" align="center" | |-! colspan="2" | Statistics...
, Pelotas,
Rio GrandeRio Grande is the oldest city in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul and also the former state capital from 1835 to 1845...
and
São José do Norte-See also:*List of municipalities in Rio Grande do Sul...
, which have a total population of around 600,000 inhabitants.
Geography
Topography
As it is situated on a plain near the ocean, the urban area lies on a low elevation, being, on average, 7 meters (23 ft) above sea level. The interior of the municipality is on a plateau called
Serras de SudesteThe Serras de Sudeste Microregion is a micro-region in the southern part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is named after a hill range named Serras de Sudeste, which means Southeastern Mountain Ranges...
(Southeastern Mountain Ranges). Consequently, the altitude in Pelotas' rural area reaches 429 meters (1,407.4 ft) in the Quilombo
districtDistricts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
.
The city stretches to the Laranjal, a
bairroBairro is a Portuguese word and refers to a community or region within a city or municipality. Bairros exist in the majority of large cities in the world. Related words in English include neighborhood, district, borough or subdivision...
on the coast of the Lagoa dos Patos. Beyond the coastal regions Santo Antônio and Valverde, the area also has an even more remote area, the Balneário dos Prazeres (popularly known as Barro Duro, lit. "hard mud"), and Colônia Z-3, a fishing village that primarily explores the art of
shrimpingA shrimp fishery is a fishery directed toward harvesting either shrimp or prawns. .-Commercial fisheries:...
.
Climate
The climate of Pelotas is
humid subtropicalHumid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate....
or
temperateIn geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally mild, rather than extreme hot or cold. But in continental areas, such as central North America the variations between summer...
(
CfaThe Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by the Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself notably in 1918 and 1936...
).
Summers are warm with regular rainfall. Winters are cool with frequent frosts (about 20 per year) and fog.
The hottest month is January with an average temperature of 23°C (73.4°F), and the coldest month is July with an average temperature of 12°C (53.6°F). The wettest month is February with 145 mm (5.7 in) of precipitation. The average annual temperature in the city is 17.5°C (63.5°F) and the average annual precipitation is 1,379 mm (54.29 in), with rain regularly falling all year long. The relative humidity is very high (with an annual average around 80%). There is a popular saying that Pelotas could be the second most humid city in the world, losing only to
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
.
An interesting meteorological occurrence was the first
snowSnow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes...
fall, which occurred on July 8, 1994 in Pelotas from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Before this date, there had never been any record of snow in the city. The phenomenon was weakest in the urban parts of the city, and did not cover the ground. However, the snowfall was more intense further inland, in districts such as Cascata and Quilombo, and was able to cover the vegetation in a white blanket.
On August 1, 1955, the city recorded a temperature of -3.4°C (26°F), the lowest recorded temperature. This low was recorded in the urban area of the city, and since the interior of the municipality has a higher altitude, the temperature there must have been lower. The highest temperature on record in Pelotas happened on January 8, 2006 at 41°C (105°F).
Vegetation
The larger part of rural Pelotas is made up of
grasslandGrasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
s, with low and herbaceous vegetation (pampa). Small groves of cultivated trees (Babylon willow,
eucalyptusEucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent parts of New Guinea and Indonesia...
,
pinePines are coniferous trees in the genus Pinus , in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Distribution:...
,
cypressCypress is the name applied to many plants in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is a conifer of northern temperate regions. Most cypress species are trees, while a few are shrubs...
,
acaciaAcacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus in 1773. The plants tend to be thorny and pod-bearing, with sap and leaves typically bearing large amounts of tannins...
,
poplarPopulus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar, aspen, and cottonwood....
and
platanusPlatanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
) and native trees (
Cockspur coral treeErythrina crista-galli is a flowering tree in the family Fabaceae, native to Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay. It is widely planted as a street or garden tree in other countries, most notably in California...
and
araucaria angustifoliaAraucaria angustifolia, the Parana pine or Brazilian pine , is a species in the conifer genus Araucaria. It is native to southern Brazil ; the northeast of Argentina Araucaria angustifolia, the Parana pine or Brazilian pine , is a species in the conifer genus Araucaria. It is native to...
) are also found. Pelotas is 55 km (34 mi) from the
Atlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres , it covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface and about one-quarter of its water surface area. The first part of its name refers to the Atlas of Greek...
, and possesses a beach along the Lagoa dos Patos, called Laranjal. In the vicinity of the beach one can find quagmires and sand dunes.
Hydrography
Pelotas is part of the watershed of the
Camaquã River-References:*...
. The streams Quilombo and Caneleiras drain the city. They meet to form the Arroio de Pelotas, which flows into the
São Gonçalo ChannelThe São Gonçalo Channel is a navigable channel connecting two large coastal lagoons, Lagoa Mirim and Lagoa dos Patos, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. At its eastern end, it separates the municipalities of Rio Grande to the south from Pelotas to the north....
.
Famous people
Pelotas is the birthplace and home of many nationally famous people, like the regional writer
João Simões Lopes NetoJoão Simões Lopes Neto was a Brazilian regionalist writer of Rio Grande Do Sul born March 9, 1865. After some unsuccessful business ventures he married at 27. He only wrote four works of note, but nevertheless had a strong importance to Brazilian regionalist writing. He died of a perforated ulcer...
(1865-1916), author of Cancioneiro Guasca (1910), Contos Gauchescos (1912) and Lendas do Sul (1913); Hipólito José da Costa, the founder of the printing press in Brazil; the painter Leopoldo Gotuzzo, whose works have surpassed the borders of Pelotas, winning awards and expositions even in Europe; and Antônio Caringi (1905-1981), an internationally-recognized sculptor.
Also from Pelotas are the poet Lobo da Costa (1853-1888), the lyrical singer Zola Amaro (1891-1944), the singers and composers
Kleiton & KledirKleiton & Kledir are a duo of Brazilian singers and songwriters, composed of brothers Kleiton Ramil and Kledir Ramil. They are also brothers of singer-songwriter Vitor Ramil.- Biography :...
and
Vitor RamilVitor Ramil is a musician, singer, composer and writer from Brazil.- Discography :*Estrela, Estrela *A Paixão de V Segundo Ele Próprio *Tango - re-edited in CD on 1996*À Beça...
, the actress
Glória MenezesNicelde Soares Magalhães is a Brazilian actress.- Filmography :* A Favorita - Irene*A estranha Clementine - Clementine*Senhora do destino - Baronesa Laura...
, and the football players
Emerson Ferreira da RosaEmerson Ferreira da Rosa , simply known as Emerson, is a former Brazilian football midfielder.-Grêmio:He made a name for himself in his native Brazil, at Grêmio, where he won three state championships, two Brazilian Cups, one Brazilian Championship and one Copa Libertadores da America, but...
and Daniel Carvalho.
Places of interest
The
Public Library of Pelotas was founded in 1875, and constructed with materials brought over from Europe. Pelotas has two theatres, the
Sete de Abril and the
Guarani Theatre. The Sete de Abril, which was constructed in 1831, is one of the most traditional theatres in Brazil. The city boasts three museums: the
Carlos Ritter Museum of Natural History, the
Leopoldo Gotuzzo Museum of Art, and the
Museum of the Baroness.
Events
One major attraction is the
Fenadoce, a display of sweets prepared from traditional 18th century
Portuguese recipesPortuguese cuisine is characterised by rich, filling and full-flavored dishes and is closely related to Mediterranean cuisine. The influence of Portugal's former colonial possessions is also noted, especially in the wide variety of spices used. These spices include piri piri and black pepper, as...
. More than 300,000 people come to the annual event, which began in 1986. Formerly held in different locations each year, today it is always celebrated in the
Centro Internacional de Cultura e Eventos (International Center of Culture and Events).
Ethnicities
The first immigrants to the region were the
PortuguesePortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
, coming mostly from the
AzoresThe Azores is a Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, about from Lisbon and about from the east coast of North America. The two westernmost Azorean islands actually lie on the North American plate...
, something which profoundly influenced the culture of the city, especially in its architecture and cuisine.
Another important immigration was that of the
GermansGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
(the majority from
PomeraniaPomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East. It is inhabited...
), even though they preferred to settle in rural areas, unlike the Portuguese, who settled in the city itself. Also worthy to mention are other ethnicities that settled in Pelotas, such as
AfricansAfro-Brazilian, African-Brazilian or Black Brazilian, is the term used to racially categorize Brazilian citizens who self-reported to be of black or brown skin colors to the official IBGE census...
(descendents of slaves, mainly from
AngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean. The exclave province of Cabinda has a border with the Republic of the...
),
ItaliansItaly , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia. Italy shares its northern, Alpine boundary with France, Switzerland, Austria and Slovenia...
,
PolesPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe . Poland is bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
,
FrenchFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
,
JewThe Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
s,
Lebanese ArabsLebanon , officially the Republic of Lebanon
[Republic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies...]
, etc. The number of descendants from
indigenous peoplesThe Indigenous peoples in Brazil comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country prior to the arrival of Europeans around 1500...
, despite being unknown, is probably very small.
In a 2005 study there were 280,897 whites, 34,172 blacks, 25,395 of mixed ethnicities, 998 native Brazilians, 498 Asians, and 998 with an unknown ethnicity.
Religion
In regards to religion, the majority of inhabitants (about 50%) are
Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
, followed by Protestant religions (especially among the people of German origin), such as
Evangelical LutheranLutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the 16th century German reformer Martin Luther. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
and
AnglicanAnglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures...
sects. In recent times there has also been a growing number of
Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenarian Christian denomination. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism; they report convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual Memorial attendance of over 17 million...
and Latter-day Saints. Other noteworthy religions include
SpiritismSpiritism is a philosophical doctrine, established in France in the mid-nineteenth century.Spiritism, or French spiritualism, is based on books written by French educator Hypolite Léon Denizard Rivail under the pseudonym Allan Kardec reporting séances in which he observed a series of phenomena that...
and Afro-Brazilian ritualism (such as
UmbandaUmbanda is an Afro-Brazilian religion that blends African religions with CatholicismUmbanda is related to and has many similitudes with other Afro-Brazilian religions like Candomblé, Batuque, Macumba, Quimbanda, Xambá, Egungun, Ifá, Irmandade, Confraria, Xangô do Nordeste and Tambor de Mina, but...
and
CandombléCandomblé is an African-originated or Afro-Brazilian religion, practiced chiefly in Brazil by the "povo de santo" . The religion was largely originated in the city of Salvador, the capital of Bahia. Although Candomblé is practiced primarily within Brazil, it is also practiced in other countries...
).
Economy
The economy of Pelotas is mostly agricultural and commercial. The latter is largely represented by
ArabArab people or Arabs are an ethnic group whose members identify along linguistic, cultural or genealogical grounds...
s, mostly Lebanese (erroneously referred to as
TurksThe Turkish people , also known as the "Turks" are defined mainly as citizens of the Republic of Turkey. An early historic text provided the definition of being a Turk as "any individual within the Republic of Turkey; whatever his/her faith or racial/ethnic background; who speaks Turkish, grows up...
) and a few other foreigners.
The region is the largest producer of
peachThe peach is known as a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach. It is a deciduous tree growing to 4–10 m tall, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae...
es for the country's storehouse industry, along with other products such as
asparagusAsparagus officinalis is a flowering plant species in the genus Asparagus from which the vegetable known as asparagus is obtained. It is native to most of Europe, northern Africa and western Asia...
,
cucumberThe cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon.- Botany :...
,
figFIG may refer to:*Common fig, a large, deciduous shrub native to southwest Asia and the eastern Mediterranean region.*Ficus, a genus of about 850 species of woody trees, shrubs in the family Moraceae.-Acronym:* Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique...
and
strawberriesFragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. There are more than 20 described species and many hybrids and cultivars. The most common strawberries grown commercially are cultivars of the Garden strawberry...
. The city also is a great producer of
riceRice is the seed of a monocot plant Oryza sativa, of the grass family . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East, South, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and the West Indies...
and
cattleCattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
products. Pelotas produces more
milkMilk is an opaque white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It provides the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. The early lactation milk is known as colostrum, and carries the mother's antibodies to the baby. It can reduce...
than anywhere else in the state.
Pelotas has industries tied to
agricultureAgriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and...
, textile,
leather tanningTanning is the process of making leather, which does not easily decompose, from the skins of animals, which do. Often this uses tannin, an acidic chemical compound. Coloring may occur during tanning....
and
bread-makingBread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and possibly more ingredients. Doughs are usually baked in the Western world , but in some cuisines breads are steamed, fried, or baked on a hot skillet. It may be leavened or unleavened...
.
ReforestationReforestation is the restocking of existing forests and woodlands which have been depleted.Leaves from trees emit oxygen as well as absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants from our atmosphere. The demand of reforestation is increasing both for quality of human life reasons, biosphere support...
for the production of
paperPaper is thin material mainly used for writing upon, printing upon or for packaging. It is produced by pressing together moist fibers, typically cellulose pulp derived from wood, rags or grasses, and drying them into flexible sheets....
and
celluloseCellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
has been a rising economic activity in the whole region.
The city is a large commercial center in the region, attracting shoppers to its sidewalk and neighborhood galleries and shops.
The rural area, also called the "colony", due to the fact that German immigrants built isolated farming communities there, is characterized by the production of fruit, rice, and livestock.
In times past the production of
charque, or dried beef, was economically important. The work was usually done by slaves. The
charqueadas, as the livestock ranches were called, are still popular tourist attractions, the most famous being the Charqueada Santa Rita and the Charqueada São João.
Transportation
Pelotas boasts an international airport, which was originally built in 1930 and serves 130,000 passengers annually with two runways. It is located in the Três Vendas
bairroBairro is a Portuguese word and refers to a community or region within a city or municipality. Bairros exist in the majority of large cities in the world. Related words in English include neighborhood, district, borough or subdivision...
.
The city also has a bus system, a port on the shores of the
São Gonçalo ChannelThe São Gonçalo Channel is a navigable channel connecting two large coastal lagoons, Lagoa Mirim and Lagoa dos Patos, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. At its eastern end, it separates the municipalities of Rio Grande to the south from Pelotas to the north....
, and the junction of two major highways (BR-116 and BR-392) nearby.
Architecture
The city was strongly influence by Portuguese aesthetics, visible in its large houses with Portuguese ceramics on the façade. Pelotas is very rich in architectural treasures and monuments.
One example of the many monuments in the city is a fountain called,
As Três Meninas, which came from France in 1873, and was placed in the center of the city.
The largest monument in Pelotas is the iron
Caixa d'água, which is located in the Piratinino de Almeida Plaza, and is the only one of its kind in all of Latin America. It was constructed in 1875, and still holds the daily surplus of water in the city. It sits atop 45 columns, and all of its pieces are made of iron. It has forms that are reminiscent of Asian architecture, though all of the materials used in construction were imported from France.
The architecture of the city is distinguished by its churches, the
Grand Hotel and the
Public Market.
The construction of the
Public Market was initiated in 1847 and finished in 1853, although between 1911 and 1914 there was a renovation. Its design was fashioned after the
NeoclassicalNeoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, both as a reaction against the Rococo style of anti-tectonic naturalistic ornament, and an outgrowth of some classicizing features of Late Baroque...
style, and was affected by
Art NouveauArt Nouveau is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century . The name 'Art nouveau' is French for 'new art'...
after 1970 when the building was destroyed by a fire and rebuilt. On it there is a clock tower and an iron lighthouse, imported from
HamburgHamburg is the second-largest city in Germany and the sixth-largest city in the European Union...
, Germany, an allusion to the
Eiffel TowerThe Eiffel Tower is a 19th century iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris that has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. The Eiffel Tower, which is the tallest building in Paris, is the single most visited paid monument in...
.
The
Great Hotel was inaugurated in 1928. The building has four floors, presented in the Art Nouveau style. Today the building is closed and belongs to the city government.
The
Church of the Redeemer, also known as the "Shaggy Church", is the headquarters of the Brazilian Episcopalian Church of the Anglican Communion, and became known for its characteristic vegetal covering. It opened its doors in 1892. Its tower is 27 meters tall, and its stained-glass windows are from
New York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States, and the center of the New York metropolitan area, which is among the most populous urban areas in the world. A leading global city, New York exerts a powerful influence over worldwide commerce, finance, culture, fashion and entertainment...
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The
São Francisco de Paula Cathedral is considered the city's most important religious edifice, due to its size, beauty and the works of art found within its interior. Its construction began in 1813. The cathedral shelters the image of São Francisco de Paula, by an unknown artist, which was brought from
Colônia do SacramentoColonia 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 21,714 .It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
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The painter Aldo Locatelli, came from Italy especially to make the frescoes on the ceiling and walls of the cathedral, at the invitation of Dom Antônio Záttera, bishop of Pelotas at the time. Although Locatelli would choose to stay in Rio Grande do Sul and make many other important works in Brazil, including paintings and murals, this is considered his greatest work, together with the passion at the
Church of São Pelegrino in
Caxias do SulCaxias do Sul is a city in Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil, situated in the state's mountainous Serra Gaúcha region.It was established by Italian immigrants on June 20 1890. Today it is the second largest city in the state of Rio Grande do Sul...
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Also deserving attention is the
Museum of the Baroness, which was constructed in the 19th century, occupying an area of approximately 7 hectares, possessing 22 parts and an interior patio. Lining it all were many cultivated and varied gardens.
In Pelotas there are still nine sculptures of Antônio Caringi, considered the best gaúcho sculptor. Among them are:
Oferenda, 1942, in bronze, located in the Ecumenical Cemetery São Francisco de Paula;
Monumento ao Colono, 1958, in bronze and granite, in the Primeiro de Maio Plaza;
Monumento ao Bispo Dom Joaquim Ferreira de Mello, 1942, in bronze and granite, on the Avenue Dom Joaquim;
Sentinela Farroupilha, 1935, in bronze, 20 de Setembro Plaza;
As Três Idades do Trabalho, in granite, Coronel Pedro Osório Plaza;
Dr. Luiz Pereira Lima, 1958, in bronze, Piratinino de Almeida Plaza;
Monumento ao Coronel Pedro Osório, 1954, in bronze and granite, Coronel Pedro Osório Plaza;
Monumento à Mãe, 1968, in bronze and granite, Coronel Pedro Osório Plaza;
Monumento ao Dr. José Brusque 1968, in bronze and granite, Coronel Pedro Osório Plaza.
Sister cities
AracatiAracati is a city in the state of Ceará, northeast of Brazil. The population of Aracati is 61,431 . It is part of the microregion of Litoral de Aracati, which is one of the four microregions that make up the macroregion of Jaguaribe. - Notes :...
,
CearáCeará is one of the 26 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is one of the main tourist destinations of Brazil.Literally, the name Ceará means "sings the jandaia"...
state,
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is a country in South America. It is the fifth largest country by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, the fifth most populous country, and the fourth most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean...
AveiroAveiro is a city in Aveiro Municipality in Portugal, with a total area of 199.9 km², a total population of 73,559 inhabitants, and 59,860 electors . It is the second most populous city in the Centro Region of Portugal, after Coimbra...
,
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south and by Spain to the north and east...
Colonia del SacramentoColonia 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 21,714 .It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
,
UruguayUruguay , is a country located in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to 3.46 million people, of whom 1.1 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area. An estimated 88–94% of the population are of mostly European and/or mixed descent.Uruguay's only land border is...
Suzuis a city located at the northeasternmost tip of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa, Japan. The city is the proposed site of the Suzu Nuclear Power Plant; however, in 2003 the proposal was "frozen" until further notice....
,
Japanis an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
Subdivisions
There are five neighborhoods in Pelotas and several districts:
Districts
- 1st District- Sede
- 2nd District- Colônia Z3
- 3rd District- Cerrito Alegre
- 4th District- Triunfo
- 5th District- Cascata
- 6th District- Santa Silvana
- 7th District- Quilombo
- 8th District- Rincão da Cruz
- 9th District- Monte Bonito