Located between Serra do mar and the Atlantic, with a region that extends from Angra dos Reis to Ubatuba, is the paradisiacal Paraty, full of stories, natural paradises and curious legends. Let's explore every historic point of this fascinating city!!!
Historic Center: the presence of water, the culture of coffee and sugar cane, the port and its pirates, and freemasonry, mark the Historic Center of Paraty, which is considered by UNESCO as “the most harmonious colonial archtectural ensemble” and a National Heritage listed by Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN). Its streets are protected by chains, which prevent the passage of cars, preserving even more its history.
Igreja de Santa Rita de Cássia (Church of Saint Rita de Cassia): considered a postcard of Paraty, the Church has been operating as a matrix since the 18th century when it replaced the Cathedral, and was built to serve the “mixed-raced people”. Its lord’s table is dedicated to Santa Rita, Nossa Senhora da Conceição and to Nossa Senhora do Carmo. Next to it is the Museu de Arte Sacra de Paraty (Museum of Sacred Art of Paraty), which has a collection of more than 2.900 religious pieces. In 1952, the site was listed by IPHAN.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Dores (Church of Our Lady of Sorrows): also known as ‘Capelinha’, was built in 1800. The church played an important role in valuing woman in Society, housing brotherhoods and other religious projects dedicated to them, being attended only by ladies of the aristocracy.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Church of Our Lady of Remedies): this is the first construction that we have news of, under the invocation of São Roque, patron saint of the village. In 1636, due to the intervention of Maria Jácome de Melo, the chapel became the patron saint of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios. The church underwent several renovations, being even demolished in 1668 and partially rebuilt in 1712, as it began to sink. It was frequented by “low-income whites” and is located in the Main Square.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário e São Benedito (Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and Saint Benedict): considered one of the smallest churches in the city, it is located on Rua do Comércio (Street of Trade), the most important region of the Historic Center. Its construction began in 1725 and was frequented exclusively by “blacks”. Known only as Igreja do Rosário (Rosary Church), it is the only one that has a gold lord’s table in Paraty.
Casa da Cultura de Paraty Câmara Torres (House of Culture of Paraty Câmara Torres): located in the Historic Center, the old ‘mansion’ was transformed into an organization that integrates the social and cultural life of Paraty, whose goal is to preserve the cultural heritage of Paraty, the visual arts and music, with a museum, an auditorium and an art gallery. Since 2004, the Casa da Cultura has been managed by the NGO Associação Paraty Cultural, made up of cultural, neighborhood and resident associations. Admission is free and it is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 7pm. For more information, visit the website.
Praça da Matriz (Main Square): it is the oldest and the largest green area in the Historic Center of Paraty, being the main meeting point for residents and tourists, and a place for cultural events such as the International Literary Fair of Paraty (FLIP). The first project for the square, created by French landscaper Auguste François Marie Glaziou, was inspired by the Passeio Público (famous public park) in Rio de Janeiro. The Praça da Matriz was renovated in 2011, with greater acessibility as the main point.
Cais de Turismo de Paraty (Paraty Tourism Pier): it used to serve as the city’s port, receiving all types of vessels, mainly fishing, but today it serves as the departure point for boats and schooners. Next to the Cais de Paraty (Paraty Pier) is the Pier Beach, which is not recommended for swimming. You can find stalls on the píer that sell all kinds of products, such as t-shirts, and admire the Santa Rita Church.
Teatro Espaço (Theater Space): was created in 1985 to be the headquarters of the Contadores de Estórias Group. Today the Theater has puppet theater, presentations, musical concerts, among other artistic educational and cultural tourism activities. For more information, visit the website.
Forte Defensor Perpétuo (Perpetual Defender Fort): the existing building on the site was built in 1793, housing the first village of Paraty, the then called São Roque Village. The fort was built with the intention of protecting the city from possible invaders. With the decline of Paraty’s economy, the fort remained in ruins until 1822, when it was renovated and given its current name in honor of Dom Pedro I. In 1957, its jurisdiction was tranferred from the Ministry of War to that of Ministry of Education and Culture. And only in the 70s restored by IPHAN, was it opened for visitation. Today the Museu Forte Defensor Perpétuo (Perpetual Defender Fort Museum) is under the supervision of the Brazilian Institute of Museums (IBRAM), and its arrangement contains pieces that tell the history of the city, such as war weapons, caiçara artifacts (caicara is a word used to indicate a person born in the coast of Brazil) and articles from the slave period.
Chafariz do Pedreira (Quarry Fountain): also known as Chafariz de Mármore (Marble Fountain) was built in 1851 to supply the city with water, with funds provided by Councilor Luiz Pedreira do Couto Ferraz, and is located at Praça Presidente da Pedreira (President Quarry Square). Legend has it that “a betrayed husband discovered that his wife was with his ‘godfather’, so he put a curse on them turning them into ‘Headless Mules’ and on the nights of full moon, close to midnight, They meet at Chafariz da Pedreira to flirt and scare passersby”.
Antiga Cadeia Pública (Old Public Jail): also called Casa de Detenção (House of Detention), it was built in the 18th century and remained in operation until 1980. Today, the colonial mansion is home to the Fábio Villaboim Library and the Historical and Artistic Institute of Paraty (Instituto Histórico e Artístico de Paraty - IHAP), which is responsible for preserving the city’s historic assets.
Quilombo do Campinho da Independência: located about 13km from the Historic Center of Paraty, Quilombo was founded at the end of the 19th century by three ex-slaves from Big House, who had received land from their slave master, owner of Fazenda Independência. Today, the quilombolas grow rice, beans, corn, cassava, sugar cane, in addition to fruits, such as mango, soursop and orange, and live off their handicrafts (hampers, baskets, sieves, among others) and tourism by Campinho. The Quimbolo’s House tells its story, which has utensils and work materials used by its residents, and a photography collection. For more information, visit their Facebook page.
Mercado das Artes (Arts Market): opened in May 2018, it was an initiative of the Municipality of Paraty in partnership with artists and artisans from the Sectorial Forum of Visual Arts and Crafts. MAR (Mercado das Artes) is located in the old Mercado do Pescador (Fisherman’s Market), which is considered a historical heritage site, in addition to the sale of products, it has workshops and talks, conversation circles, music and artistic interventions. The Mercado das Artes is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 5pm.
Paraty Beaches: with around 60 beaches, true natural paradises, each one with its own charm and special beauty, such as Praia dos Antigos, a place of peace and tranquility with clear Waters and white sands, Ponte Negra Beach, special for the practice of nautical sports and a lot of adventure.
Paraty Bay: formed by about 65 islands, with transparent Waters, such as Ilha Jurabaíba, Ilha do Cedro, Ilha do Pelado Grande, Ilha Comprida, Ilha do Algodão. To get to know these islands, it is necessary to rent a boat, speedboat, sailboat, schooner or even a yacht.
Paraty Waterfalls: in addition to the wonderful beaches and islands, Paraty still has several waterfalls and wells. The most popular are Pedra Branca, next to Poço Usina, and Cachoeira do Tobogã, next to Poço do Tarzan.
What did you think about knowing a little more of the stories of Paraty’s tourist attractions?!?! Do you want to know this paradise?? I sure do!!
Stay tuned in the next post, that Let’s Travel the World will give you some tips about this city!!
Oh, if you want a little help to put together your script, designed exclusively for you... just get in touch!!
Comentários