Posted by: Renato Ferreira and Joao Netto.
Photo: Leonardo Valadares
CAROS ALUNOS,
LYDIALEM@GMAIL.COM
Belém of the Amazon: Scents, Flavors and Mysteries
Belém, the capital city of Pará, is the principal gateway to the region. It is also one of Brazil’s five largest metropolitan regions. With more than ten thousand trees – mostly mango-trees which form green tunnels even along the streets that carry most of the traffic, and açaí palm trees, Belém offers an array of excursions and tourist events, dozens of cinemas and theatres, including on one Brazil’s biggest and most beautiful theatre houses; open spaces along the rivers that surround the city; eight different environmental parks, important museums and hundreds of cultural and lisure options. For more than 200 years, in each month of October, the city has hosted one of the world's biggest religious events: the Holy Lady of Nazareth Cndle Procession.
The Ver-o-Peso Market, a huge riverfront street market with a mooring port that receives many ships with hundreds of products every day. The name comes from the ancient check points of merchandise inspection.
The Ver-o-Peso Market is a landmark of Belém with its over five hundred species of fishes, countless fruits, craftsmanship and the exotic ladies who sell spells and enchantments, reinforcing the fables and mysteries of Amazonia.
A ride through the Republic and Batista Campos squares, the mango tree tunnels in the Nazaré and Presidente Vargas avenues and the Rodrigues Alves Park (photo) reveal the deep concern with tree coverage and the soothing from the strong tropical heat, which provides a few hours of a delicious and refreshing rain shower.
Located some fifty-four kilometers away from Belém, the island of Mosqueiro has a plethora of river-bathed beaches with waves, completing the harmonious scenery of contrasts and beauties.
These are cultural spaces based on museum concepts covering the city’s bonds with its architecture and history. Close to the Ver-o-Peso Market is the Estação das Docas (photo), with over 32,000 m2, completely air-conditioned, 500 meters of sidewalk by the Guajará Bay, three modernized old warehouses and one dock which belonged to the Port of Belém, restaurants, art galleries, a small brewery, ice-cream shops, handicraft stands, typical food kiosks, coffee bars, a space for fairs and events, a theatre for 400 spectators and a tourist harbor.ECO-TOURISM - MARAJÓ
Marajó - Rural and Wild
On the Marajó Island, it is hard to tell where rural life ends and the wildlife begins. Cattle and buffalos (photo) live together in harmony with herons, which peck insects from their furs, and with capybaras. The rich Amazonian biodiversity is everywhere, even in the country farms of this island, located at the mouth of the Amazon River and which is part of a large archipelago of the same name.
From February through May, the rains flood the pasture fields and land vehicles are replaced by water vehicles, using the same roads and amid exuberant vegetation. From May through January, sightseeing of the island will take you both to fresh water beaches and to vestiges of pre-Columbian civilizations. The starting points for so much adventure are Soure and Salvaterra, twin towns located east of the Marajó Island.
In the same archipelago is the Caviana Island, with an area of 5 square kilometers, and the best site for watching the ‘pororoca’, the encounter of the waters of the Amazon River and of the Atlantic Ocean in April and September. There is also the Mexiana Island, equipped with a resort specialized in ecotourism, the right place for a direct contact with the Amazon jungle and the great ‘sea-river’.
By: Bianca Gaspar e Marcus Wanzeller
PARÁ'S CUISINE
The State of Pará is mysterious and rich as well as fascinating and unknown. The magic and myths about the forest make up natural scenario that is typical of its people.
Duck in 'tucupi' sauce –Speaking of ducks is useless, since there are ducks everywhere; but when it is made with ‘tucupi’, it becomes, perhaps, the most famous delicacy of Pará, one that never misses the local dining tables on special occasions, especially at the time of the Círio de Nazaré.
Cupuaçu -It comes from a wild plant found on the Amazonian woods. Cupuaçu is easily identified by its smell and sour taste and it’s highly appreciated both by local people and by tourists. Its pulp is also extracted to make juices, candies, jellies, liquors, ice creams and candies.
Maniçoba - Maniçoba is one of the highlights of our cuisine. Its preparation is long and its final appearance is quite surprising for those who never tried it due to the dark look of the cooked maniva (ground manioc leaves).
Açaí - It’s a palm tree from the regional flora, with a long thin stem.
The State of Pará, in the heart of Brazil, has some of the most expressive fishing rivers such as the Tapajós, Trombetas, Xingu, Araguaia-Tocantis, São Benedito, Jari, amongst others, besides the uncountable lakes and ponds, a coast of unmatched beauty and the Amazon delta, at the mouth of the Amazon River, where the Island of Marajó is located.
With all its rivers, lakes and coast, this region is teeming with fish and the most remarkable characteristic of fishing in Pará is the amazing abundance of species. The fishing tourist will be able to go to untouched areas and get to feel the strength of the tucunaré (peacock bass) catching the bait of his fishing rod, bouncing around in the air, stirring the water with its shiny body.ECOTOURISM
Nature right next to you
Ecotourism in Pará is part of the daily life. And it is no wonder. After all, you are in the Amazon. In the Belém metropolitan region alone, there are five environmental parks, and, in any one of them, the splendid Amazonian flora will treat you with unforgettable surprises. And you will enjoy the unique experience of being in the jungle under the rain.
In the urban zone of Belém, with a population of over one million, 500 different bird species have been already classified, and are totally integrated in the life of the city. Among these species, parakeets, “sabiás” (song-thrushes), “curiós” (finches), “sanhaços” (tanagers) and hawks fight for space and food in the thick canopies of the mango-trees and “samaueiras” (kapoc-trees), and in the amazing number of fruit palm-trees – “açaí’, “pupunha” and “bacaba”, among others – that cover the city with a lush green vegetation.
Belém Environmental Park (Utinga)
With an area of over 13.4 square kilometers, it is one of the largest Environmental Protection Areas located within a metropolitan region all over Brazil. Within this park, there are the springs that supply water to Belém and also the Bolonha and Água Preta lakes. The springs are located within a forest that shelters a large number of mammals, birds, fish, insects, reptiles and chelonians, whose footprints can be spotted along the trails, in the guided tours.
Belém Ecological Park
The Park, with an area of 0.44 square kilometer, is aimed at environmental education and is also open for visits and cultural activities. It is a breathing space for the city and a didactic showcase of life in the Amazônia.
The Emílio Goeldi Zoobotanical Park
Located in the heart of the town, the Park houses samples of scientifically organized and classified Amazon flora and fauna. It is the ideal place for those who want to have a preview of what awaits them during their adventures in the Amazônia.
Mosqueiro Island Municipal Park
The municipality of Belém has approximately 60 islands, and the Mosqueiro Island is one of them. The Municipal Park, which is considered a preservation unit, has an area of 1.9 square kilometer and is formed by three islands covered with lowland forests (floodplains of the major white-water rivers of the Amazon), with patches of secondary forest. Guided tours within the Park are allowed along 3 kilometers of trails.
Gunma Ecological Park
Still within the Metropolitan region, in the municipality of Santa Bárbara, is the Gunma Ecological Park covering an overall area of 5.4 square kilometers. The Park has 4 square kilometers of primary forest. Hiking in the trails is allowed, and intense educational activities are conducted in partnership with Japanese counterparts.
Atlantic Amazônia. Sea and Jungle
The Atlantic Amazônia – entirely located in the State of Pará – offers a mix of sea and forest unmatched by any other region in the word – the mix of biodiversity.
The coastline of Pará coastline is where birds stop to rest during their long trip between the Antarctic and the arctic, in islands covered with tropical forest and surrounded by plentiful sea fauna.
Also, The coastline of Pará has one of the largest and richest extensions of mangroves in the whole planet, interspersed with wild beaches with fine white sand. The mangroves occupy an area of over 100 kilometers long, with an average width of 20 kilometers, offering spectacular sceneries.
Bragança. Beaches and mangroves
Located some 200 kilometers from Belém, with access by road and good tourist infrastructure, Bragança is a town dating back to the colonial period and is the starting point for the tours to the mangroves and to the beautiful Ajuruteua Beach.
One of the greatest attractions of the place is fishing in the “paranás” (small waterways created by islands on the course of the main river) that cut across a primitive and exuberant landscape, full of small animals and home to communities descending from the Tupinambá Indians. These communities keep alive a rich folklore that explains and interprets the surrounding nature.
Canela and Itaranajá. Bird Cradles
The Canela island – close to the Bragança coast – is an Environmental Protection Area and part of a group of islands that shelter migratory birds. In the Canela Island specifically there are thousands of nests of “guarás” (red, long-legged birds resembling flamingos) that breed there. It is one of the largest nesting places in the world.
On the coast of Salinópolis – a sophisticated bathing resort 200 kilometers away from Belém – is Itaranajá. A small oceanic island full of nests of herons, guarás, wood-peckers, “arirambas” (king-fishers), and wild ducks. At dawn and at dusk, the flight of the flocks offer a spectacle that, by itself, is worth the trip.
Urumajó. Cradle of turtles
Located in the municipality of Augusto Correa, on the border with Maranhão, Urumajó is a portion of the vast mangrove that covers part of the coastline of Pará. This Environmental Protection Area holds an immense diversity of typical flora, and is the place chosen by the sea turtles to lay their eggs, on long beaches swept by winds, under the equatorial sun. Being a wild area of difficult access, it is ideal for those who look for peace and quiet.
Marajó. Rural and Wild
On the Marajó Island, it is hard to tell where rural life ends and the wildlife begins. Cattle and buffalos (photo) live together in harmony with herons, which peck insects from their furs, and with capybaras. The rich Amazonian biodiversity is everywhere, even in the country farms of this island, located at the mouth of the Amazon River and which is part of a large archipelago of the same name.
From February through May, the rains flood the pasture fields and land vehicles are replaced by water vehicles, using the same roads and amid exuberant vegetation. From May through January, sightseeing of the island will take you both to fresh water beaches and to vestiges of pre-Columbian civilizations. The starting points for so much adventure are Soure and Salvaterra, twin towns located east of the Marajó Island.
In the same archipelago is the Caviana Island, with an area of 5 square kilometers, and the best site for watching the ‘pororoca’, the encounter of the waters of the Amazon River and of the Atlantic Ocean in April and September. There is also the Mexiana Island, equipped with a resort specialized in ecotourism, the right place for a direct contact with the Amazon jungle and the great ‘sea-river’.
Experience the jungle
Several biodiversity preserves are located in Pará. These preserves are stretches of forest, chosen for being sanctuaries to unique species. The National Forests, the Parks and the preserves offer the ecotourists a wide array of options, in each one, the experience of biodiversity presents a new face.
Caxiuanã National Forest – 300 square kilometers of dense forest, accessible only by boats leaving from Belém. In this forest lies the Emílio Goeldi's jungle-base, where researches may be developed at a site where nature remains untouched.
Tapajós National Forest – Located in the Central Region of the Brazilian Amazon, in the west of Pará, the Tapajós National Forest, headquartered in Santarém, has an area estimated in 6 square kilometers.
Universities and scientific institutions develop research on the peoples who have lived in the area for hundreds of years. The area is accessible by road.
Saracá-Taquera National Forest – Located to the west of Oriximiná city, with an area of 4.3 square kilometers, and accessible only by boat along the Trombetas River, this National Forest offers canoeing, sport fishing, and trails for hiking, and houses of population groups descending from the “quilombos” (communities of run-away slaves).
Tapirapé-Aquiri National Forest –with an area of 1. 9 square kilometers and is located between the municipalities of Marabá and São Felix do Xingu, in the south of Pará. Large predators, such as jaguars, can be found in the region.
The thrill of the land
Mountains, caves and life in ancient times. This trilogy, amid the Amazonian forest of Pará, offers an endless string of surprises. Pará has three hilly regions, and each has peculiar characteristics, affording new sceneries and new thrills at each footstep.
City of the Gods –A gigantic formation of calcareous rocks, eroded by water and wind, arises in the middle of the dense forest. It is the city gods, in the municipality of Alenquer, North of the Amazon River, where ancient peoples left inscriptions and rupestrian paintings, and where figures sculpted by natures generated legends and myths over the course of time.
Ererê Hills –The indigenous word meaning “once more, good-bye” is the name of a ridge full of cliffs and caves covered with fascinating rupestrian inscriptions and paintings, portraying mystical figures, and dating back to over 12 thousand years. The inscriptions are representations of the sun, the moon and other elements relating to the cosmos. The place is located in the municipality of Monte Alegre, North of the Amazon River.
Paituna Hills –Or Pay-tuna, green water lake, in the Tupi language. Caves offer subterranean landscapes of great beauty, enhanced by panels of rupestrian paintings. On the top of the hill, the Pedra do Palão (Palão Stone), a large rock formation sculpted by the wind, stirs human curiosity. Also located in the municipality of Monte Alegre.
Serra dos Martírios/Andorinhas State Park –located in the southeast of Pará, in the municipality of São Geraldo do Araguaia, with an area of 250,000 square meters, these hills house 80 archeological sites with over 5,000 rupestrian paintings and engravings, with an estimated age of 8,300 years. There are 36 smaller and 26 larger caves, and 28 waterfalls. The area is home to hundreds of species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fish, also holding an extraordinary vegetal diversity. In this enchanted landscape, 16 population groups of fauna, and 3 of flora are preserved.
Buritirama Hills Still in the southeast of Pará, next to the Itacaiúnas River, in the Preto River region, the Buritirama Hills house archeological sites and geological resources still unknown to researchers. The Casa da Cultura Foundation has already identified 107 plant species, 40 of which are orchids, and 211 species of vertebrate animals were catalogued, 11 of which are included in the endangered species list. In the archeological field, 13 sites ware discovered and documented.
A surprise with Nature's enormous diversity, underlined in every landscape from dense virgin forests to wide-open wilderness of ocean beaches.
By: Bianca Gaspar e Marcus Wanzeller
Situated in the Guajará bay, on the estuary of the Rivers Tocantins and Pará, the city began as a river port in 1616, immediately after the French were driven out of São Luís, the capital of the state of Maranhão. It is known as the "City of the Mango Trees" because of the large number of those trees growing there.
posted by Cassio Torres and Jean Hilaire.
Foto:skyscrapercity.com
To get to know the inside, you need to visit some of its most illustrious spaces. We highlight tree sports which are considered worth visiting: the Theatro da Paz, the Arte Sacra Museum and the Basilica de Nazaré. Three temples of pure beauty, historical and architectural curiosities.
The city of Belém preserves a great amount of remains left by the Bélle Époque. The most important one is the Theatro da Paz, built with the wealth brought from the exportation of latex in the so-called the Rubber Cicle. It is also in this period, the construction of Basílica de Nazaré which will be one hundred years in 2009, dated from the launching of its fundamental stone in 1909. On the other hand, the Santo Alexandre church and the Palácio Episcopal are much older, dating from 1719 and today they congregate the Museu de Arte Sacra do Pará, located in Feliz Lusitânia Square Complex.
THEATRO DA PAZ
The Theatro da Paz is inspired according to Teatro Scalla de Milão (Milan-Italy). On its sides, the patios are surrounded by columns and staircases giving access to Praça da República. At the entrance hallway, the English cast iron of the arches of the doors and the French bronze statues, representing music, poetry, tragedy, comedy, give us the signs of European culture.
In 1905, the Da Paz Theater underwent a huge reformation. The door which gave way to the spectacles room was removed with the purpose of improving the acoustic of spectacles, considered one of the best of Brazil. On its place, there is a big-sized French crystal mirror now. It was also added statues made of French and, on the walls, enameled iron plates.
It is impossible not to be amazed with Theatro da Paz. The Spectacles Room, with 900 seats, has chairs made of wood and straw keeping the style from that period. Besides the auditorium, the seats for the public there are also in the balcony, mezzanine, porches, galleries and the upper mezzanine.
Looking up the central ceiling, there is a luster, made of American Bronze, and a painting in fresco, which reproduces figures Greek-Roman mythology. The god Apollo is conducting goddess Aphordite and the muses of arts to Amazon. There is also a painting is portraying regional motives, dated in 1960. Enter Theatro da Paz is like traveling back in time. The Foyer is very elegant, where the nobles has their balls and recitals, it is all decorated with mirrors and luster in French crytal and two busts of composers from that time: Carlos Gomes and Henrique Gurjão. The Neoclassical walls were painted by Italian artists.
Currently, the Theatro da Paz is the biggest and the most luxurious of the North Region, renowned as one of theater-monument of the country, declared by IPHAN in 1963.
THE ARTE SACRA MUSEUM
The Santo Alexandre Church built by the Jesuits, raised in eighteenth Century. The Palácio Episcopal, where the Archbishopric used to be. The two building are interconnected, and both a blend of various stylistic moments in Brazil. We can find some of these styles such as: proto-baroque, later baroque and the Pombal neoclassic.
In 1998, the buildings were restored and adapted to house the Museu de Arte Sacra, whose beauty of the façade is enhanced by the lights, inside it, we can also find the Galeria Fidanza. The Café do Museu and the Boutique Empório das Artes, where it is possible to buy regional products. The church of Santo Alexandre maintains its liturgical function, but it is also a drama-musical space.
The main door of the church is made of wood, with frams made of lioz stone. One the inside, there is a unique nave, with illuminated pulpits and high altar, transept and six side chapels. The chancel screens were produced by the Jesuits during the colonial period in two styles, the “Nacional Português” and “D. João V”. The wall, on the left of the transept, exposes remains of ancient structures that serve as frame to images of Saint Alexander, Saint Bartholomew and Saint Michael, besides another fourth image of a Jesuit Saint which was found, at the time of the reform, in deterioration state.
The sacristy, with the same length of the main chapel is located on the left arm of the nave. The decoration has parts coming from Europe e other parts produced by the Jesuits and Indians.
Being the only one of the genre in Brazil, the Museum of Sacra Art houses, among other things, religious sculptures dated from the three firsts centuries of Brazilian history of art. The museum contains almost 400 objects among the baroque imaginary, liturgical and archeological objects and silverware. Part of this collection belonged to the Jesuits, the other part was acquired from heirs of a collector or through donation. The sacred objects are the most charming. They were restored and underwent through a process of inventory.
In the fist area of circulation of the museum, there are canvas with sacred themes, belonging to collection of Cúria Metropolitana. In the first room the Pietá opens the baroque imaginary show. All the images are illuminated by a sophisticated project of light technique. Other baroque imaginaries which sdraw attention are those of São José de Botas and Nossa Senhora de Rosário, both sculptured in polychrome wood and dated from the Eighteenth century.
What a visitor must see is the room where there is the installation that exposes the Crucified Christ. The illumination shows parts of the images, creating beams of light surrounding it. The silverware room is also impressive. They displayed an a dark velvet base and optical fiber illumination, properly identified, it helps the understanding of the visitors abouth its origin and functions. One of the rarities shown in the Museu de Arte Sacra is the image of the Dead Lord, this work waited 40 years for a repair. The image belonged to Capela dos Passos, projected by Antonio Landi, in Campina district. But its Whereabouts was unknown for over 30 year until it was rescued in 2006, by Secretaria de Estado de Cultura, in Rio de Janeiro, in the hands of a private collector.
FONT: City Of Belém
By: Bianca da Silva Gaspar / Marcus Vinicius Wanzeller
