Paraty
Paraty is a preserved Portuguese colonial and Brazilian Imperial municipality with a population of about 43,000. The name "Paraty" originates from the local Guaianá Indians' indigenous Tupi language, named for an abundant local fish native to the region. Paraty is located on the Costa Verde, a lush green corridor that runs along the coastline of the state of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. Paraty has become a tourist destination, known for its historic town center and the coast and mountains in the region. The historic center of the city, as well as four areas of the Atlantic Forest, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019 under the title "Paraty and Ilha Grande".
Geography
The town is located on the Bay of Ilha Grande, which is dotted with many tropical islands. Rising as high as 1,300 meters behind the town are tropical forests, mountains, and waterfalls. It is the southernmost and westernmost city in Rio de Janeiro state.Paraty is listed by IPHAN as a National Historic Landmark.
More than 80% of its territory is protected by conservation units:
- Cairuçu Environmental Protection Area, where the village of Trindade is located
- Tamoios Ecological Station
- Serra da Bocaina National Park
- Baia de Paraty, Paraty Mirim and Saco do Mamanguá Environmental Protection Area
- Juatinga Ecological Reserve
The municipality also includes an indigenous village and an Afro-Brazilian quilombo settlement.
Climate
Paraty exhibits a humid subtropical climate. Temperature lows range from, while highs range from. Its wettest month is January, with an average of 19 rainfall days. Sea temperatures remain consistently warm, ranging from.Municipal symbols
Flag
The flag of Paraty was adopted on August 12, 1967. The overall colors of the flag represent the following traits: gold signifies strength, silver represents innocence, red is bravery, blue serenity, and green is the color of abundance.Red, white, and blue are the three colors that have traditionally been used to decorate the historic houses of the city. The colors are displayed in three vertical stripes, with a coat of arms on the center. The large white star on the red stripe symbolizes the first district, and on the blue stripe two small stars represent the second and third districts. The three stars are placed in a triangular form, in homage to the strong presence of Freemasonry in the architecture of the city. The crown represents the royal traditions that discovered the country and founded the independent country. The real reason for green is the Portuguese house of Bragança and yellow for the Austrian house of Habsburg.
Coat of arms
The coat of arms shown on the flag was adopted on November 30, 1960. The four quarters of the coat of arms symbolize the following:- The first green-colored quarter on the upper left-hand side with a feathered headdress above two crossed arrows, represents the original inhabitants of the region, the Guaianás tribe.
- The second quarter in red with a white oval seal with the royal Portuguese coat of arms surrounded by the word "Remédios," a seal which was used in colonial times to authenticate official documents; Our Lady of Remedies has been patron saint of the town since 1646.
- The third quarter, which is white, blue and yellow is an outline of the city and the bay with a superimposed silver fish that is perhaps a reference to Tupi language origin of the city name.
- Finally the fourth quarter of blue shows the corner of a colonial house and a wrought-iron rail which is representative of the colonial-style houses that exemplify Paraty.
History
The village of Paraty was founded in 1597. It was established formally as a town by Portuguese colonists in 1667, in a region populated by the Guaianás Indians.The Guaianás people who lived where the city now stands called the entire area “Paraty”. In the Tupi language “Paraty” means “river of fish”. Even today the Brazilian Mullet still come back to spawn in the rivers that spill into the Bay of Paraty. When the region was colonized by the Portuguese, they adopted the Guaianás name for their new town.
The Gold Trail
After the discovery of the world's richest gold mines in 1696 in the mountains of Minas Gerais, Paraty became an export port for gold to Rio de Janeiro and from there on to Portugal. The ensuing gold rush led to the construction of the "Caminho do Ouro" or "Gold Trail", a 1200 kilometer road, paved in steep areas with large stones, which connected Paraty to Diamantina via Ouro Preto and Tiradentes. Not only was it used to transport gold to Paraty, but it was also used to convey supplies, miners and African slaves by mule train over the mountains to and from the gold mining areas. Two sections of the Caminho do Ouro have been excavated near Paraty and are now a tourist destination for hiking.The Gold Trail fell into disuse because of attacks on the gold laden ships bound for Rio de Janeiro by pirates who frequented the islands and coves of the Bay of Angra dos Reis. Eventually a safer overland route from Minas Gerais to Rio de Janeiro was created because of these pirate raids. Finally, the gold itself began to run out in the late 18th century, and Paraty declined.
The Gold Trail was submitted for inclusion on the World Heritage List in August 2004.
Cachaça
Before the gold mines came sugar cane, the products of which were the main exports of Brazil beginning around the 1500s. Under Portuguese occupation, most of the colony's regions were dedicated to the production of sugar, but Paraty remained focused on cachaça. This is most likely due to the more-humid climate, which resulted in a better mash. Cachaça, a spirit distilled from sugarcane juice, is the main ingredient in a caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil. Cachaça is said to be older than rum, as it has been made since the 1500s. Through the gold rush, cachaça remained an economic powerhouse in Paraty, widely demanded both in Brazil and in Europe. By 1820, over 150 cachaça stills were operating in the region. Over time, the production of cachaça became entwined with the identity of Paraty, and the "cachaça of Paraty" was awarded a Protected Indication of Provenance in 2007.Economic revival
The city's economic activity revived as a port for a new boom, the coffee trade of the Paraiba do Sul River Valley in the early 19th century, until a railway along the valley created cheaper transport to the port of Rio de Janeiro.Since then, Paraty has been out of the mainstream, which is why it did not change for centuries, until a paved road was built from Rio de Janeiro to Santos, near São Paulo, in the 1970s. The city then began a new cycle of activity, which transformed a small, almost abandoned town living on very limited economic activity, mainly fishing and agriculture into a tourism destination.
As of 2019, the historic town of Paraty has been listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site for its mixed cultural-natural landscape, encompassing its coastal historic center and nine natural areas.
Architecture
Paraty is known for the cobblestone-paved streets throughout the Historic Center District. No cars or trucks are allowed in this part of town, only foot traffic or bicycles. Motor vehicles are only allowed in the Historic District on Wednesdays for deliveries. Horses and carts are a very common sight in Paraty and are frequently used all around the city.Paraty has been able to maintain many of its historic buildings. Much of the architecture of the city has not changed for 250 years or more.