Petrópolis

Petrópolis , the imperial City of the Brazil, is a town of approximately 300.000 inhabitants, located at 42 km of Rio de Janeiro, founded the March 16th 1843 by the emperor Pierre I {{er}}.

Brood in the forest of the hills of Tightened back Órgãos, in the valley Quitandinha and Piabanha, Petrópolis is a popular estival vacation resort. In addition to its pleasant climate and the beauty of surrounding nature, its principal attraction is the old palate of summer of the Brazilian emperors, which became the imperial museum of Petrópolis.

History

The city was named “the town of Pierre” in the honor of the Empereur Pierre I {{er}} of Brazil which was the first monarch of the nation. It was the residence of summer of the Brazilian emperors and the aristocrats at the 19th century, and was the official capital of the State of Rio de Janeiro between 1894 and 1903.

In 1720, Bernardo Soares de Proença opened a road to connect Rio de Janeiro to Minas Gerais, through the Serra da Estrela. In 1830, whereas he travelled on this road to go to Minas Gerais, the emperor Dom Pedro I noticed on the way an area of a particularly pleasant climate and decided to buy a farm there then to make there build a palate. The aristocrats of its court were not long in establishing there in their turn of the residences.

Under its successor Pierre II, German farmers of the Rhineland were encouraged to immigrate and to be installed on the grounds of the Emperor, to give around the palate a pleasant urban framework. The colony of Petrópolis was officially founded the March 16th 1843, and became a district in 1844 then a city in 1857. The road connecting the city to Rio de Janeiro was inaugurated in 1910 and was paved in 1928. After the advent of Répuplique and the exile of the imperial family in 1889, the palate of summer continued to play a big role in the Histoire of Brazil. In 1903 was signed there the peace treaty with the Bolivia, which gave to Brazil the territory of Acre. The August 15th 1947, was held a conference for the maintenance to with it of the peace and the safety of the Continent under the aegis the Organization of the American States which leads to the inter-American treaty of reciprocal assistance.

Others

Petrópolis was the last residence of Stefan Zweig and his second wife, Lotte, which committed suicide there in 1942.
the aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont had a house with Petrópolis. This house became a museum.

External bonds

Town hall of Petrópolis (official site)
old Postcards of Brazil

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