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'Belém' is a city in the northern part of Brazil. It is the capital and also the biggest city of the state of Pará. Its metropolitan area has approximately 2.09 million inhabitants. It is the entrance gate and, together with Manaus, the most important city in the Brazilian Amazon region. It is also known as ''Cidade das Mangueiras'' (city of mango trees) due to the number of those trees found in the city.
'Belém' is served by the Val de Cães International Airport (BEL) that connects the city to the rest of the country and other cities in South America. Brazilians often refer to the city as '''Belém do Pará''' ("Belém of Pará") rather than just ''Belém'' so as to differentiate it from Belém (Bethlehem) in the West Bank, Israel.

Contents

History

Geography

Sites and attractions

External links

History

The city was founded on January 12, 1616 by capitain Francisco Caldeiras de Castelo Branco, who was sent by the Portuguese crown to defend the region against French, Dutch and British colonisation attempts. For this purpose, he built a fortress called ''Forte do Presépio'' (currently called ''Forte do Castelo'').
Initially, the city was named ''Feliz Lusitânia''. Later it was renamed to ''Santa Maria do Grão Pará'' as well as ''Santa Maria de Belém do Grão Pará'', finally receiving its current name ''Belém''.
Remote from the rest of the county and strongly linked to Portugal, Belém accepted Brazil's independence only in August 1823, almost one year after its declaration.
In 1835 it was a town of about 13,000, and extended on a grid pattern for a mere eight or nine blocks from the banks of the Pará River. A small hill overlooking the main harbour was topped by a colonial Portuguese fort and shore batteries.
Between 1835 and 1840 Belém witnessed the ''Revolta dos Cabanos'' also known as the ''Cabanagem'', a revolt considered to have had the most authentic popular participation in the country's history.
Due to the growing importance of rubber (''Hevea brasiliensis'') from the end of the 19th until the beginning of the 20th century, Belém became a very important marketplace. During this period many important buildings were constructed, such as ''Palácio Lauro Sodré'', ''Colégio Gentil Bitencourt'', ''Teatro da Paz'', ''Palácio Antônio Lemos'' and the ''Ver-o-Peso'' market. The ''Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi'' in Belém was renovated at this time also, although it had been founded in 1866.

Geography

1° 27' south, 48° 29' west. As of 2004, the population is 1.421 million, which makes Belém the 10th largest city in Brazil. The metropolitan region's population is approximately 2.100.000, making it the tenth largest metropolitan region in Brazil. The southern channel of mouth of the Amazon lies just to the north of the city, as does the Island of Marajó.

Sites and attractions

★ See the weight or Ver-o-Peso:
The biggest open-air market of Brazil, it is also the symbol of Belém and its biggest tourist attraction.
In this market, known throughout the world, different species of fish and fruits are commercialized, daily, ornamental plants, artesanato and sets of ten of medicinal, used grass for the preparation of teas, banns and smokings.


★ Station of the Dock berths:
inaugurated in 2000, currently it is one of the visited tourist points more of Belém.
In the three sheds of English iron of Station of the Dock berths, you can to see expositions, shows or simply appreciate the typical food in one of its excellent restaurants.

External links

★ Belem Brazil Photos

★ Pictures from Belém