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Situated in relatively densely populated eastern South America, the 98,000square-kilometer state of Pernambuco still bears the indelible imprint of colonial Portugal and Holland, in the form of the slave trade and sugar-cane plantations on the one hand, and European culture on the other. Recife, the "Venice of Brazil," and its sister city of Olinda, both have superb national monuments. Moreover, thanks to inexpensive charter flights, their breathtaking beaches play host to tens of thousands of tourists each year. The state as a whole has two distinct seasons: rainy from March to July, and dry during the remainder of the year.
Government regulations requiring that ethyl alcohol be used to power automobiles have led to an increase in sugarcane production over the past few decades, and Brazil is currently, along with India, the world's leading producer of sugar cane. A substantial amount of this commodity is grown in Pernambuco: fields with long green stalks of sugar cane stretch far into the interior, all the way to the Sertao. Other mainstays of the state's economy include tropical and semitropical fruits (bananas, oranges, coconuts), livestock raising, fishing, and along the coast, tourism.
Destinations in Pernambuco
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Igarassu: This small village, which is located 39 kilometers north of Recife, was founded even earlier than Olinda, in 1530. Devotees of religious art will find a trip here well worth their while; some sobrados (colonial houses) have also been preserved. Sao Cosme a Sao Damiao, the main house of worship in the village (on the eponymous square), is thought to be one of the oldest stone churches in Brazil. Frans Post also immortalized it in one of his paintings.
Santo Antonio, the Franciscan convent on Rua Barbosa Lima, was founded in 1588 and subsequently burned down by the Dutch; it was not rebuilt until the 18th century. This single-nave structure is decorated with lovely painted tiles inside, and a handsome vestment cupboard in the sacristy. Unusual and worth seeing is the Pinacoteca, a collection of paintings by anonymous masters, including mural paintings of saints and a depiction of the plague in Olinda in 1685, which miraculously left Igarassu untouched.
Olinda: O Linda situa~ao para urrca vila" ("What a beautiful place for a city"): These are the words Duarte Coelho is supposed to have uttered upon founding a Portuguese colony here in 1535 whence, it is believed, came "O Linda" and with it the city's name. There exists another plausible explanation for the appellation: The name "beautiful one" is also apt, as this city of 350,000 inhabitants, located seven kilometers north of Recife, has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The "beauty" in the name suits Olinda's enchanting (and coastal) Old Town, although the city has of course undergone considerable change since colonial days.
A good starting point for a walking tour is the bus station at Praga do Carmo. With the sea at your back, look to the left for Nossa Senhora do Carmo, the oldest Carmelite church in Brazil. It will be familiar to anyone who has seen the Dutch artist Franz Post's painting that made the church famous. Ironically, it was burnt down by the Dutch in 1631, then rebuilt in 1720, and completely restored at the end of the 20th century. |
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Proceeding to the right down Rua Sao Francisco, you reach the Franciscan cloister Convento de Sao Francisco, which was founded in 1585. The glorious view of the sea from this location is indicative of the good taste of the members of the order, which is still quite active throughout northeastern Brazil. In view of the prevailing hot and humid climate, the reason why Nossa Senhora das Neves ("Our Lady of the Snow") was so named remains something of a mystery. Like Nossa Senhora do Carmo, it was also destroyed by the Dutch occupying forces, and then rebuilt during the next century. Inside the church are arresting ajulejos that narrate the life of the Virgin Mary; the life of St. Francis is similarly depicted in the cloister. Equally impressive are ceiling frescos in the meeting room and sacristy.
Continuing uphill on Rua Bispo Coutinho, the visitor will come upon (on a rise off to the right) the Jesuit church of Nossa Senhor da Gra~a, which was designed by Francisco Dias, the founder of ecclesiastical architecture in Brazil. It is also the site of a seminary for the diocese, whose archbishop, Dom Helder Camara, is a world-famous proponent of liberation theology.
Alto da Se: Even visitors who have vowed they will visit no churches while in Brazil should make the short climb up this hill, if only for the view. Standing before the cathedral looking out over the palm and rosewood trees and down to the sea below, one senses the distinctive atmosphere of this historic city. During the day, the plaza is frequented by the inevitable souvenir vendors. In the evening, visitors can sit outdoors nibbling cheese smoked on a spit and sipping ice-cold coconut milk or beer.
Unfortunately, numerous attempts at restoration have diminished the arthistorical interest of the 1greja da Se Sao Salvador do Mundo, founded as Olinda's first parish church in 1537. The view of the former Episcopal Palace (17th century) next door is obscured by a white architectural monstrosity, a water tower by Oscar Niemeyer that many people would like to see torn down. Today, the palace houses the religious and folk art collections of the Museu de Arte Sacra de Pernambuco.
Further to the north lies Largo da Miseric6rdia, on whose corner stands the Igreja da Misericordia (1540), which contains striking tile work and a splendid pulpit. You now pass the Igreja Nossa Senhora do Amparo on Rua Sao Martinho and then climb Rua do Amparo, where the former bishop's residence (today a regional museum) is to be found, along with several well-preserved sobrados - two-story colonial houses with balconies and muxarabi, Moorish-style latticework.
Rua 13 de Maio leads to the former Cadeia Publica (prison), now the Museu de Arte Contemporanea. The plaza in the next street over (to the east), Mercado da Ribeira, was the slave market in the 17th century, and today is the site of a handicrafts market at which, on Sundays at 8 p.m., folklore groups also perform. Further south on Rua Sao Bento stands the Palacio Governadores, the former Governor-General's Palace dating from the 17th century and now the prefectural seat.
It's only a short walk from here to Mosteiro de Sao Bento, a Benedictine monastery with tall and shady palm trees in its forecourt. The cloister church, consecrated in the 16th century, underwent considerable change during reconstruction after being destroyed by Dutch troops. Of greatest interest inside the church are its wood carvings based on Portuguese motifs and a high altar dating from the 18th century.
A few minutes' walk takes you to the river road. The beach close to town is not suitable for swimming, but the simple oceanfront restaurants there serve delicious seafood dishes. |
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