Cabo de Santo Agostinho

Wonder: Cabo de Santo Agostinho
Country: Brazil
Region: Pernambuco
Visitable: Yes
About:
Cabo de Santo Agostinho is bordered by one of the industry ports, in the other hand; it has many beautiful tropical beaches and nature reserves.



Cabo de Santo Agostinho is a municipality of the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. It has an area of 448.49 km². Cabo de Santo Agostinho is part of the Metropolitan Region of Recife (MRR), wich comprehends also the municipal districts of Recife, Olinda, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Abreu e Lima, Paulista, Igarassu, Itapissuma, Itamaracá, Ipojuca, Camaragibe, São Lourenço da Mata, Araçoiaba and Moreno.

Cabo de Santo Agostinho offers to visitors’ options of ecological reserves, mangroves and some of the most beautiful beaches in Pernambuco, such as the beaches of Calhetas, Paraíso and Gaibu. These beaches attract people looking for tranquility as well as those looking for nautical sports.

Besides the beaches, the historical monuments also attract tourists to Cabo. Ancient sugarcane mills (in Portuguese called "engenhos") are still operating in the city, some open to visitations; special care is taken to preserve the History of such places.

Some of the historical buildings, one can visit the Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Nazaré (Nossa Senhora de Nazaré Church) and the ruins of the Convento Carmelita (Carmelita Convent), which dates back to late 16th century years, and the Forte Castelo do Mar (Sea Castle Fortress), built in 1631 by the Portuguese utilizing granite of the region, in an attempt to protect the area form the Dutch invasors.

Cabo Santo Angostinho, Pernambuco

Among the festivals of the city is Festa da Lavadeira which is celebrated every year on May 1st at the beach Paiva. The festival is one of the largest demonstrations of the culture of the people of Pernambuco. This event, which began as a simple way of reunion of fishermen, today brings together thousands of people on the beach Paiva.

The festival of Ouriço is an event typical of the region, based on religious superstition of fishermen in the area. The Ouriço is also one of the typical dishes of the city.

It has a warm climate, beautiful beaches, natural pools, vegetation and rocks of the Atlantic, 9 beaches in its coast; the Cape of San Agustin is an unusual attraction for tourists. Also you can enjoy sports such as fishing, diving, trekking, abseiling and paragliding. All around the forest, a sea of white sand, and crystal clear waters.

HISTORY
There is a controversial theory which says that the region of Cabo was the place where Brazil was discovered. Some History researchers say that before Pedro Álvares Cabral arrived in Bahia on April 21st 1500 (official date of discovering of Brazil), Vicente Pinzon had already moored in the Bacia de Suape, on January 26 of 1500, and named it as Cabo de Santa Maria de La Consolación.

Cabo Santo Angostinho, Pernambuco

The city was installed on February 18, 1812, and rose to the rank of city, 09 July 1877 under the name of the city of Cape San Agustin. The name, Cabo de Santo Agostinho, means Cape of Saint Augustine.

Its economy has been focused on the development of monocultures of sugarcane, from 1570, with the donation of Sesmarias along the river Pirapama. João Paes in 1571 founded the first center of the sugar. Later, with the creation of new devices, the industry of sugarcane represents the economic power of the province of Pernambuco and its main strength for the country's growth.

The capital, Recife, is a perfect combination of history and modernity. Its streets and colonial monuments are memories that are mixed with the complexity of a metropolis. The city's economy relies on agriculture activities, industry, commerce and services, particularly around the port of Suape.

The city of the Cabo de Santo Agostinho is the biggest industrial cluster of Pernambuco. An industrial complex was built around the Port of Suape, taking advantage of the Port itself and the infrastructure of roads and (still limited) railways which connect the port to Recife and other important cities; besides, both the governments of the State of Pernambuco and the city of Cabo have been offering tax incentives for new enterprises to establish in the area.

Around the capital, recalling the paradisiacal scenes competition for the occupation of these lands, including pointing guns at sea, colonial houses, churches, ancient monuments and artifacts that preserve the memory of the golden era of civilization from sugarcane.

The tourism is also an important sector of the economy. A growing infrastructure of hotels, restaurants and other tourist services have been developed over the past years, to attend visitors attracted by the beaches in the south coast of Pernambuco.