El Salvador (Bahia)

History

First capital of Brazil of 1548 with 1763, Salvador de Bahia was a convergence point of the European, African and Amerindian cultures.

The colony is founded in 1549 by Tomé of Sousa and quickly becomes a center of the culture of the Canne to sugar. The need for labor and its proximity with the African coasts make of it a turntable of the African Esclavage of . It is the capital of the viceroy of Grão-Pará.

The Dutch capture and plunder the city in May 1624 which is taken again by the Portuguese in April of the following year.

The city is the capital of Brazil until 1763. Being revolted, it is taken by storm by the Portuguese troops in 1822 to be released officially on July 2nd 1823.

In 1948 the city counts 340 000 inhabitants. In the years 1990 the historical quarters of the Pelourinho (“small pilori” because it is there that the slaves were punished) are cleaned and restored. It is registered by UNESCO with the world heritage of Humanity. It is a very popular district.

The musician Gilberto Gil was born there, and they is there that the house of Jorge Amado is, most famous of the writers bahianais, cantor of El Salvador.

The airport was called “Must of Julho”, “July 2nd”, until June 16th, 1998 when it was famous international airport “Deputado Luis Eduardo Magalhães”.

Nowadays

The city could preserve many exceptional examples of Architecture Rebirth. The polychrome houses with the bright colors, often decorated decorations in stucco of great quality, are one of the characteristics of the old city.

The city is divided between its high part, with in particular the Pelourinho , and the low part ( cidade baixa ) where are the administrative cathedral (the first in Brazil) and buildings. Around this bicephalous historical center, the city extends on an important surface, made very typified districts often (suburban, Favela S, old villages integrated in the metropolis, great units, luxurious buildings) separated by fast tracks.

The majority of the population comprises a African ascent, which are worth to him the nickname of black Rome, a marked African culture (spiced food and rites voodoo), dances (Axé and samba) and a coloured carnival. The sanitary arrangements are not correct for at least a third of them.

In the close surroundings, the splendid beaches attract the tourists. Since the middle of the Nineties, the Northern littoral was opened with the Tourisme thanks to the creation of a coastal road (road of coconut), and the increase in constructions, village tourist and " resorts" there is very important.

Because of the draft of the slaves, the antique quoted portuguaise of South America became a crucible where people of different ethnic origins but of close countries find themselves. There is the Mediterranean one and of African at the same time in the mob of the hurdy-gurdy city like, of course, in the singular beauty of these people of half-caste.

According to Bahianais, El Salvador is famous less dangerous than the cities of the south (Rio and São Paulo). For people of these cities on the other hand, Bahianais have the reputation to be primarily devoted to have fun the festival.

To eat in the street is current thing but that formed often also part of the rites at Salvador de Bahia. Caranguejos (crabs) and Camaores (shrimps) there côtoient Acarajès (pellets of beans) and Saparatels (tripe of pig) as well as innumerable sugar refineries containing coconut.

The company of construction of Automobile S Ford has a large factory of assembly there.

Abruptly drawn from its somnolence, the town of El Salvador advances with forced marches towards the modernism. One speaks there that new factories, assembly lines, and people of the campaigns flow there per thousands. The skyscrapers push like mushrooms and threaten the old districts. Undoubtedly will endeavor one to save a cultural heritage of a priceless value, especially these superb Igrejas, churches of the colonial time. But from the whole pieces of the hurdy-gurdy quoted will disappear: inter alia, houses on piles, picturesque but passably unhealthy.

The carnival

The carnival of El Salvador is the greatest popular carnival of street of Brazil. It is without any doubt the most important event of the year for the majority of the inhabitants: in 2005, the military police force (PM) listed nearly 2,2 million participants in the same moment.

Some figures on the carnival of 2005 (source: Town hall of El Salvador):

209 carnavalesques entities took part, in general of the " Trios" , semitrailers papered of loudspeakers and with orchestra on the roof, often accompanied by a second truck " of appui" with bar and infirmary reserved to the registered voters.
25 km of streets, places and avenues were closed for the carnival, including 11 km strictly reserved for processions (4 km for the Dodô circuit and 7 km for the circuit Osmar and Batatinha).
the released receipt was of 87 million dollars
220 087 provisional jobs were created.
85% the Brazilian ones took part, including one great majority coming from other states, and 15% from abroad (among the latter, 12% of French and 5% the Swiss ones)
16,9 million liters of beer and 9,8 million liters of mineral water were drunk there.
Very supervised by the police force, one counts there nevertheless each year of many flights and violences, but no death was indexed in 2005.

Contrary to the carnival of Rio, which concerns the spectacle mainly, the carnival of El Salvador is a carnival of street. The carnival is the festival of the festivals. Many Brazilian come the food to El Salvador, leaving Rio the abroads rather. During four days and four nights, the whole city is in the street. Groups, corporations and sects mix to sing and dance until exhaustion. All extravagances are allowed.

Famous personalities

Mestre Bimba, celebrates capoerist was born there in 1900.

Twinnings

Cayenne

See too

External bonds

Site of the municipality of El Salvador

Be-X-old: Сальвадор (горад) Simple: El Salvador

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