Caxias do Sul
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| Caxias do Sul | |||
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| Nickname: Pearl of the Colonies | |||
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| Country |  Brazil |
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| Region | South | ||
| State | Rio Grande do Sul | ||
| Founded | June 20, 1890 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | José Ivo Sartori (PMDB) | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 1.643 km² (0.6 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 817 m (2,680 ft) | ||
| Population (2007) | |||
| - Total | 419.852 | ||
| - Density | 250/km² (647.5/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-3 (UTC-3) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | UTC-2 (UTC-2) | ||
| HDI (2000) | 0.857 – high | ||
| Website: Caxias, Rio Grande do Sul | |||
Caxias 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. The demonym of the citizens of Caxias do Sul is caxiense.
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[edit] History
The history of Caxias do Sul starts before the arrival of the Italians, when the region was being roamed by cattlemen and occupied by Indians. Back then, the region was called ‘Indians Field’. The Italian immigrants’ occupation, mostly farmers from the Veneto region (northern Italy), started taking place in 1875 in Nova Milano. Hence, they were in search of a better place to live. They also met people from Lombardy, Trento, and other places. Although they had gotten some governmental support, such as tools, supplies, and seeds, everything had to be reimbursed.
Two years later, the colonial headquarters of the Indians’ Field was given the name Caxias Colony. The town was created on 20 July 1890 and acknowledged in the same year, on 24 August. Many economic cycles marked the evolution of the city throughout that century. The first one is connected to the most peculiar aspect of its cultural identity: the growth of vines and the production of wine for own consumption at first, and later on, for commercialization.
On June 1, 1910, Caxias do Sul was elevated to the category of city. On the same day, the first train arrived connecting the region to the state capital. Although the immigrants were farmers, many of them used to perform other activities. They settled down, urbanized the region, and started a fast paced process of industrialization.
In the countryside, subsistence agriculture concentrates on the cultivation of grapes, wheat, and corn. Home manufactories start to emerge and the overproduction was commercialized. In the beginning, grape and wheat. As time went by, along with the human process the home manufacture became diverse. Then, Caxias do Sul evolved from small home workshops to today’s big factories known internationally.
The University of Caxias do Sul was founded in 1976, a systematical center for culture.
Nowadays, Caxias do Sul is an important city, due to its industrious colonists, vast vineyards, wineries, varied industrial park, and a rich and dynamic market. Those attributes grant this land a greater dimension, the reason why Caxias do Sul, “the capital of the mountains”, “pearl of the colonies”, “hive of work”, is considered the center of the Italian presence in Southern Brazil.
[edit] Population growth
The following table shows the development of the number of inhabitants according to census data of IBGE.
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[edit] Climate
The city is located in the mountains of the Serra Gaucha, 760 m (about 2000 feet) above sea level. Its climate is subtropical. The average annual temperature is 16°C (60.8°F). In July, the coldest month, the average high temperature is 17°C (62.6°F) and the average low is 8°C (46.4°F); in January, the hottest, they're 26°C (78.8°F) and 16°C (60.8°F), respectively. Frosts are common in the winter, and there is on average one snowy day per year. Its record temperature extremes are -12°C (10.4°F) and 37°C (98.6°F).
[edit] Economy
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In Caxias do Sul, several small, medium, large and multinational companies were founded. The city is recognized as an Entrepreneurial-Exporting Hub in the country.[citation needed] Some of these companies are:
- Marcopolo (buses and truck frames, present in six countries)
- Randon S.A. - Implementos e Participações is a mixed holding company, leader of a group of seven companies that employ a workforce of 6,6 thousand employees. They operate in the sectors of road equipment / railway wagons / specialty vehicles/ auto parts/ automotive systems, and services;
- Agrale S/A which owns 4 industrial plants, being the only Brazilian company with 100% national capital making vehicles, tractors and diesel engines;
- Tramontina silverware company based in Carlos Barbosa with plants throughout Brazil;
- Grendene, a manufacturer of shoes based in neighboring Farroupilha;
- Todeschini, a manufacturer of furniture based in nearby Bento Gonçalves, the wine capital of Brazil;
- Florense based in Flores da Cunha, (furniture, tailor-made kitchen cabinets) among others and several textile factories and wineries.
The per capita income in Caxias do Sul is one of the highest in Brazil according to IBGE.
[edit] Languages
Portuguese is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. Elderly people can often speak Venetian, an Italian dialect.[1]
[edit] Colleges and Universities
- Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS);
- Faculdade da Serra Gaúcha (FSG);
- Faculdade Anglo-Americano;
- and others.
[edit] Culture
Culture in Caxias do Sul was not greatly favoured by the first Italian settlers, as they were mostly involved with survival concerns in an area until then unexplored. In the beginning of the 20th century, however, there was some cultural interest developing, and some sculptors, painters and decorators made a significant career in the city and around, like as Pietro Stangherlin, Francisco Meneguzzo and the Zambelli family. They left the first examples of artworks worth of mention, specially in sacred art and building decoration. Julio Calegari and Ulysses Geremia, both photographers, also deserve close attention for their huge collection of images of the old city and in the field of portrait.
As of historical architecture, one may find a few eclectic houses built for rich families, public buildings and neogothic churches, like as the Cathedral and the Chapel of Santo Sepulcro (Sacred Tomb). The first houses of the immigrants, made of stone, and later traditional wooden buildings, nearly all disappeared as the city developed.
The city nowadays has many intensely active museums and cultural centers, both private and official, and a great university which sponsors an art gallery, a museum, a huge library and a symphonic orchestra.
[edit] Tourism and recreation
The city has many tourist attractions: museums, churches, culture, music and all types of leisure activities. Nature can be found in the city and the surroundings.
The city also hosts the popular National Grape and Wine Festival, which celebrates the Italian heritage. It's one of the most famous events in the country and it's called Festa da Uva, when lots of merrymaking, wine drinking, grapes and people animate the month of February, every two years (on even-numbered years). Visitors may eat cheese, grapes and various Brazilian wines. Visitors interested in the regions wine can also visit the Château Lacave Castle, a 6th Century-style medieval structure that currently functions as a winery. Caxias do Sul is also one of the four settlements along the beautiful Caminhos da Colônia scenic tourist route in the Serra Gaúcha.
[edit] Soccer teams
Caxias do Sul is home to the S.E.R. Caxias and Juventude soccer clubs. Even though both teams have recently claimed the Campeonato Gaúcho, Juventude has had greater luck at national level, since the team has been in the first division of the Campeonato Brasileiro for over ten years and won the 2000 edition of the Copa do Brasil, while Caxias, as of 2006, plays in the third division. Juventude also has the third biggest population of fans in the state, just behind the two major teams of the state capital city, Porto Alegre.
[edit] Gallery
 Called Monumento ao Imigrante, was made with stones in 1950 to commemorate the 75° anniversary of the italian colonization]] |
 São Pelegrino's Church has the most important masterworks of the italian painter Aldo Locatelli. Its bronze front doors were sculped in Italy |
 Château Lacave during the summer in Caxias |
 The tallest building in the city and also in the state called Parque do Sol |
 Bishop's Palace |
 Getúlio Vargas Park is the largest urban park in the city |
 The City Hall of Caxias do Sul |
 Iguatemi Mall brought a lot of development and new opportunities to the city. Nowadays, he has been surrounded by new neighbourhoods in the part of the city that is growing up faster |
 The main street which provides the entrance to University of Caxias do Sul. It is well known for being one of the most beautiful places in the city |
 Families playing at the university on the weekend |
 The Chamber of Councilors |
 Panoramic view of the city |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- City Hall of Caxias do Sul
- Street Map of Caxias do Sul
- Local Newspaper "O Pioneiro" (The Pioneer)
- The University of Caxias do Sul
- Juventude Soccer Club
- S.E.R. Caxias Soccer Club
- Caxias Bus Station and Schedules
- Caxias do Sul Tourist Guide
- Official Festa da Uva Site(The Grape Festival)
- Chateau Lacave Castle
