Petropolis

Petropolis is a municipality in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. It occupies an area of 774.606 kilometers², with a population of 312,766 inhabitants (2008), according to IBGE. The mild climate, historical buildings and lush vegetation are major tourist attractions.

In addition, the city has a bustling industrial trade and services, and agricultural production (especially the fruit). Founded on the initiative of Dom Pedro II, it is constantly called the Imperial City. Petropolis is the headquarters of the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC), a research unit of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

At the beginning of the Portuguese exploration of what would be the current state of Rio de Janeiro, some missions were sent towards the mountains of Serra da Estrela. In that place, a few Indians dispersed, and the only mineral resource calculated were some whitish stones and were considered worthless.

The city’s history begins to appear, or more precisely in 1822, when Dom Pedro I walked the path of Minas Gerais by the Gold Road and stayed at the ranch of his father. Cooper was delighted with the region. He tried to buy the land, but without success. Finally, he bought a neighboring farm, the farm of the Seco Creek, which was renamed the Imperial Farm of Concord, where he intended to build the Palace de la Concorde. Today, the property is, with some additions, the area of the first district of Petropolis.

The first emperor’s plans were not completed, but Dom Pedro II continued with the plans and in 1843 signed a decree which determined the establishment of a population and construction of the dream summer palace, which was completed in 1847. Thereafter, during the summer, the city became the capital of the Empire with the change of the whole court. Pedro II ruled for 49 years, and for at least 40 summers remained in Petropolis, possibly for up to five months.

Serra de Petropolis

From 1894 to 1903 the only elected vice-governor of Rio de Janeiro’s political base was Petropolis (HERMOGENIO Silva). The sanitarian Oswaldo Cruz was appointed its first mayor in 1916. The political importance of the city lasted for decades after the end of the Empire.

All the presidents of the republic of Prudente de Morais Costa e Silva, spent at least a few days in the imperial city during their tenure. The most frequent of them was Getulio Vargas, whose stays, during the Estado Novo, lasted up to three months. As a result of moving the capital to Brasilia in Brazil, Petropolis considerably lost its importance in the political context of the country.

Planning

Petropolis is a remarkable example of the efforts of the European immigration to Brazil in the Second Empire. Designed by Major Julio Frederico Koeler, it is considered the first city in Brazil designed, consisting of an urban center – the city (now the Center), which focused on the imperial palace, public buildings, commerce and services.

The center is surrounded by “imperial blocks”, which were farm families, mostly German, which today form the first district neighborhoods. Other foreigners, such as the Azores and later, the Italians, would add to the quota of immigrants, especially working in the industries of textiles and trade.

The picturesque designer Koeler baptized the blocks with names of cities and geographical regions (Reihnland-Westphalen) where they came from German settlers: Kastelaum (Castelan) Mosel (Moselle), Bingen, Nassau, Ingelheim, Woerstadt, Darmstadt and Rheinland (Rhineland). The lands were leased to Koeler and, through him, to the immigrants, resulting in a system of court and laudemio (lease) paid to the heirs of Pedro II until today.

Architecture
Imperial Museum

The city has a unique architectural ensemble, of which the best known symbol is the imperial palace, now the Imperial Museum. The palace is the main construction of the “historical center”, which includes the Avenida Koeler, lined with mansions and palaces since the nineteenth century. The route is perpendicular to the facade of the Cathedral of St. Peter of Alcantara and in another sense, the square Ruy Barbosa and the facade of the Catholic University – constituting, thus, in one of the most beautiful in the city.

In this “historical center” there are also curious constructions such as the summer house of Santos Dumont, the Crystal Palace, the “Enchanted”, the Yellow Palace (City Council), the Rio Negro Palace, bordering the town hall (Sergio Fadel Palace), and curious constructions such as the “castle” of the self-styled “Duke of Belfort” on the corner of the square Koeler Ruy Barbosa, or even the old family house of Miranda Richardson, Avenida Ipiranga. Modern lines are also present in the house of Lucio Costa in the neighborhood of Fern.

Petropolis was the scene of events and several episodes in Brazil’s history, such as:
The inauguration of the first paved highway in Brazil, the European Union and Industry (1861), linking the city to Juiz de Fora (MG); The first session of cinema (1897) with the view, through “Cinematographe”, the first films of the Lumiere brothers; The signing of the treaty that entered the Acre in Brazil (1903); The death of Ruy Barbosa (1923); The suicide of Austrian writer Stefan Zweig (1942).

Geography

Petropolis is located at the top of the mountain, belonging to the Organ Mountains, at 838 meters above sea level. It is located 68km from Rio de Janeiro. The climate is tropical with humid summers and dry winters. The town’s annual average is 18°C (typical of a highland city like Rio de Janeiro). The average in July is 15°C, the maximum average temperature this month is 22°C and minimum is 10°C. In January the average temperature is 21°C, the maximum average temperature is 27°C and minimum is 18°C. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the city was -1°C on August 2nd 1955, the largest maximum ever recorded was 36°C.

Subdivision

Petropolis is divided into 5 districts, which are subdivided into smaller neighborhoods. These are: Petropolis (district headquarters); Waterfall; Itaipava; Pedro River and Posse