Caxias do Sul
Encyclopedia
Caxias do Sul is a city in Rio Grande do Sul
, Southern Brazil
, situated in the state's mountainous Serra Gaúcha
region. Coordinates: 29°10′0″ S, 51°11′0″ W.
It was established by Italian
immigrants on June 20, 1890. Today it is the second largest city
in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The demonym of the citizens of Caxias do Sul is caxiense
.
. Back then, the region was called "Indians' Field". The Italian immigrants' occupation, mostly farmers from the Veneto
region (northern Italy
), started taking place in 1875 in Nova Milano. Hence, they were in search of a better place to live. They also met people from Lombardy
, Trento
, and other places. Although they had gotten some governmental support, such as tools, supplies, and seeds, everything had to be reimbursed.
Two years later, the colonial headquarters of the Indians' Field was given the name Caxias Colony. The town was created on July 20, 1890 and acknowledged in the same year, on August 24. Many economic cycles marked the evolution of the city throughout that century. The first one is connected to the most peculiar aspect of its cultural identity: the growth of vines and the production of wine for own consumption at first, and later on, for commercialization.
On June 1, 1910, Caxias do Sul was elevated to the category of city. On the same day, the first train arrived connecting the region to the state capital. Although the immigrants were farmers, many of them used to perform other activities. They settled down, urbanized the region, and started a fast-paced process of industrialization.
In the countryside, subsistence agriculture
concentrates on the cultivation of grapes, wheat, and corn. Home-based manufacturing started to emerge and the overproduction was commercialized. Home-based manufacturing and Caxias do Sul evolved from having small home-based workshops to today's big factories, which are known internationally.
The University of Caxias do Sul
was founded in 1976, a systematical center for culture.
Nowadays, Caxias do Sul is an important city, and due to its industrious colonists, is home to vast vineyards, wineries, a varied industrial park, and a rich and dynamic market. Those attributes grant this land great importance, the reason why Caxias do Sul, “the capital of the mountains”, “pearl of the colonies”, “hive of work”, is considered the center of the Italian presence in Southern Brazil.
.
, Caxias do Sul features a subtropical highland climate. The average annual temperature is 16°C (60.8°F). In July, the coldest month, the average high temperature is 17°C (62.6°F) and the average low is 8°C (46.4°F); in January, the hottest, they're 26°C (78.8°F) and 16°C (60.8°F), respectively. Frosts are common in the winter and snow can occur, but it is less common.
The per capita income in Caxias do Sul is one of the highest in Brazil according to IBGE
.
Portuguese
is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. Elderly people can often speak Talian
, a regional language based on Venetian
but also very much influenced by other Italian dialects and by Portuguese.
Culture in Caxias do Sul was not greatly favoured by the first Italian settlers, as they were mostly involved with survival concerns in an area until then unexplored. In the beginning of the 20th century, however, there was some cultural interest developing, and some sculptors, painter
s and decorator
s made a significant career in the city and around, like as Pietro Stangherlin, Francisco Meneguzzo and the Zambelli family. They left the first examples of artworks worth of mention, specially in sacred art
and building decoration. Julio Calegari and Ulysses Geremia, both photographers, also deserve close attention for their huge collection of images of the old city and in the field of portrait
.
As of historical architecture
, one may find a few eclectic
houses built for rich families, public buildings and neogothic churches, like as the Cathedral and the Chapel of Santo Sepulcro (Sacred Tomb). The first houses of the immigrants, made of stone, and later traditional wooden buildings, nearly all disappeared as the city developed.
The city nowadays has many intensely active museum
s and cultural centers, both private and official, and a great university which sponsors an art gallery, a museum, a huge library
and a symphonic orchestra.
The city has many tourist attractions: museums, churches, culture, music and all types of leisure activities. Nature can be found in the city and the surroundings.
The city also hosts the popular National Grape and Wine Festival, which celebrates the Italian heritage. It's one of the most famous events in the country and it's called Festa da Uva
, when lots of merrymaking, wine drinking, grapes and people animate the month of February, every two years (on even-numbered years). Visitors may eat cheese, grapes and various Brazilian wines. Visitors interested in the regions wine can also visit the Château Lacave
Castle, a 6th Century-style medieval structure that currently functions as a winery
. Caxias do Sul is also one of the four settlements along the beautiful Caminhos da Colônia
scenic tourist route in the Serra Gaúcha
.
Caxias do Sul is served by Hugo Cantergiani Airport
, formerly called Campo dos Bugres Airport.
and Juventude
soccer clubs. Even though both teams have recently claimed the Campeonato Gaúcho
, Juventude has had greater luck at national level, since the team has been in the first division of the Campeonato Brasileiro
for over ten years and won the 2000 edition of the Copa do Brasil
, while Caxias, as of 2006, plays in the third division. Juventude also has the third biggest population of fans in the state, just behind the two major teams of the state capital city, Porto Alegre
.
In the 2010 season, both teams played the Brazilian Third Division. S.E.R. Caxias
didn't manage to go forward on the competition after the first group stage.Juventude
was relegated and will be part of the Brazilian Fourth Division in 2011.
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
, Southern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, situated in the state's mountainous Serra Gaúcha
Serra Gaúcha
The Serra Gaúcha, The Gaucho Highlands, is the mountainous region in the northeastern portion of Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil. This mountainous region is home to many Brazilians of German and Italian descent...
region. Coordinates: 29°10′0″ S, 51°11′0″ W.
It was established by Italian
Italian Brazilian
-Italian immigration to Brazil:The Italian government claims there are 25 million Brazilians of Italian descent, which would be the largest population of Italian background outside of Italy itself. There are no actual surveys, or even verifiable calculations supporting such claims. According to...
immigrants on June 20, 1890. Today it is the second largest city
Largest cities in Rio Grande do Sul by population
Largest cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil by population, in descending order:-References: , Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, Accessed on 2007-03-20....
in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The demonym of the citizens of Caxias do Sul is caxiense
Caxiense
A Caxiense is a citizen of the city of Caxias do Sul, located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A possible anglicization of Caxiense would be Caxian....
.
History
The history of Caxias do Sul starts before the arrival of the Italians, when the region was being roamed by cattlemen and occupied by IndiansIndigenous peoples in Brazil
The Indigenous peoples in Brazil comprise a large number of distinct ethnic groups who inhabited the country prior to the European invasion around 1500...
. Back then, the region was called "Indians' Field". The Italian immigrants' occupation, mostly farmers from the Veneto
Veneto
Veneto is one of the 20 regions of Italy. Its population is about 5 million, ranking 5th in Italy.Veneto had been for more than a millennium an independent state, the Republic of Venice, until it was eventually annexed by Italy in 1866 after brief Austrian and French rule...
region (northern Italy
Northern Italy
Northern Italy is a wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, without any administrative usage, used to indicate the northern part of the Italian state, also referred as Settentrione or Alta Italia...
), started taking place in 1875 in Nova Milano. Hence, they were in search of a better place to live. They also met people from Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
, and other places. Although they had gotten some governmental support, such as tools, supplies, and seeds, everything had to be reimbursed.
Two years later, the colonial headquarters of the Indians' Field was given the name Caxias Colony. The town was created on July 20, 1890 and acknowledged in the same year, on August 24. Many economic cycles marked the evolution of the city throughout that century. The first one is connected to the most peculiar aspect of its cultural identity: the growth of vines and the production of wine for own consumption at first, and later on, for commercialization.
On June 1, 1910, Caxias do Sul was elevated to the category of city. On the same day, the first train arrived connecting the region to the state capital. Although the immigrants were farmers, many of them used to perform other activities. They settled down, urbanized the region, and started a fast-paced process of industrialization.
In the countryside, subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
concentrates on the cultivation of grapes, wheat, and corn. Home-based manufacturing started to emerge and the overproduction was commercialized. Home-based manufacturing and Caxias do Sul evolved from having small home-based workshops to today's big factories, which are known internationally.
The University of Caxias do Sul
University of Caxias do Sul
The University of Caxias do Sul is among the largest universities of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, by number of students . It was founded in 1967...
was founded in 1976, a systematical center for culture.
Nowadays, Caxias do Sul is an important city, and due to its industrious colonists, is home to vast vineyards, wineries, a varied industrial park, and a rich and dynamic market. Those attributes grant this land great importance, the reason why Caxias do Sul, “the capital of the mountains”, “pearl of the colonies”, “hive of work”, is considered the center of the Italian presence in Southern Brazil.
Population growth
The following table shows the development of the number of inhabitants according to census data of IBGEIBGE
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics or IBGE , is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil...
.
| > | |
| Year | Inhabitants |
|---|---|
| 1994 | 307,921 |
| 1995 | 315,540 |
| 1996 | 325,694 |
| 1997 | 341,978 |
| 1998 | 349,581 |
| 1999 | 359,077 |
| 2000 | 360,419 |
| 2004 | 396,419 |
| 2005 | 404,187 |
| 2006 | 412,053 |
| 2007 | 419,852 |
| 2008 | 427.858 |
Climate
The city is located in the mountains of the Serra Gaucha, 760 m (about 2000 feet) above sea level. Under the Koppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
, Caxias do Sul features a subtropical highland climate. The average annual temperature is 16°C (60.8°F). In July, the coldest month, the average high temperature is 17°C (62.6°F) and the average low is 8°C (46.4°F); in January, the hottest, they're 26°C (78.8°F) and 16°C (60.8°F), respectively. Frosts are common in the winter and snow can occur, but it is less common.
Economy
In Caxias do Sul, several small, medium, large and multinational companies were founded. The city is recognized as an Entrepreneurial-Exporting Hub in the country. Some of these companies are:- MarcopoloMarcopolo S.A.Marcopolo S.A. is a bus manufacturer founded on August 6, 1949, in the southern Brazilian city of Caxias do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul. The company manufactures the bodies for a whole range of coaches, e.g. microbus, intercity and touring coach...
(buses and truck frames, present in six countries)
- Randon S.A. - Implementos e Participações is a mixed holding company, leader of a group of seven companies that employ a workforce of 6,6 thousand employees. They operate in the sectors of road equipment / railway wagons / specialty vehicles/ auto parts/ automotive systems, and services;
- Agrale S/A which owns 4 industrial plants, being the only Brazilian company with 100% national capital making vehicles, tractors and diesel engines;
- Tramontina silverware company based in Carlos BarbosaCarlos BarbosaCarlos Barbosa is a city in the wine country in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil. It is situated at 29º17'51" South and 51º30'13" West, at an altitude of 676 meters. Its population was estimated in 2004 to be 22 664 inhabitants. It has an area of 208,16 km sq...
with plants throughout Brazil; - Grendene, a manufacturer of shoes based in neighboring FarroupilhaFarroupilhaFarroupilha is a city in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in the Serra Gaúcha between the cities of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul. The city’s total length is 359.3 km²...
; - Todeschini, a manufacturer of furniture based in nearby Bento GonçalvesBento Gonçalves, Rio Grande do SulBento Gonçalves is a town located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Created in 1875, it is one of the centres of the Italian immigration in Brazil. It is also known as the 'wine capital of Brazil', due to its vineyards and wine production...
, the wine capital of Brazil; - Florense based in Flores da Cunha, (furniture, tailor-made kitchen cabinets) among others and several textile factories and wineries.
- Hyco Hidrover, a manufacturer of hydraulic cylinders for mobile applications.
The per capita income in Caxias do Sul is one of the highest in Brazil according to IBGE
IBGE
The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics or IBGE , is the agency responsible for statistical, geographic, cartographic, geodetic and environmental information in Brazil...
.
Languages
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
is the official national language, and thus the primary language taught in schools. Elderly people can often speak Talian
Talian
Talian is a dialect spoken mainly in the wine-producing area of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. Talian is sometimes called Vêneto ...
, a regional language based on Venetian
Venetian language
Venetian or Venetan is a Romance language spoken as a native language by over two million people, mostly in the Veneto region of Italy, where of five million inhabitants almost all can understand it. It is sometimes spoken and often well understood outside Veneto, in Trentino, Friuli, Venezia...
but also very much influenced by other Italian dialects and by Portuguese.
Colleges and universities
- Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS);
- Faculdade da Serra Gaúcha (FSG);
- Faculdade de Tecnologia (FTEC);
- Faculdade Anglo-Americano;
- and others..
Culture
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
s and decorator
Decorator
Decorator can refer to:*a house painter and decorator*Interior decoration*Decorator pattern in object-oriented programming*Function decorators, in Python*The Decorator, a 1920 film starring Oliver Hardy...
s made a significant career in the city and around, like as Pietro Stangherlin, Francisco Meneguzzo and the Zambelli family. They left the first examples of artworks worth of mention, specially in sacred art
Sacred art
Sacred art is imagery intended to uplift the mind to the spiritual. Sacred art involves the ritual and cultic practices and practical and operative aspects of the path of the spiritual realization within the bosom of the tradition in question....
and building decoration. Julio Calegari and Ulysses Geremia, both photographers, also deserve close attention for their huge collection of images of the old city and in the field of portrait
Portrait
thumb|250px|right|Portrait of [[Thomas Jefferson]] by [[Rembrandt Peale]], 1805. [[New-York Historical Society]].A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness,...
.
As of historical architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
, one may find a few eclectic
Eclecticism
Eclecticism is a conceptual approach that does not hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of assumptions, but instead draws upon multiple theories, styles, or ideas to gain complementary insights into a subject, or applies different theories in particular cases.It can sometimes seem inelegant or...
houses built for rich families, public buildings and neogothic churches, like as the Cathedral and the Chapel of Santo Sepulcro (Sacred Tomb). The first houses of the immigrants, made of stone, and later traditional wooden buildings, nearly all disappeared as the city developed.
The city nowadays has many intensely active museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
s and cultural centers, both private and official, and a great university which sponsors an art gallery, a museum, a huge library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and a symphonic orchestra.
Tourism and recreation
The city also hosts the popular National Grape and Wine Festival, which celebrates the Italian heritage. It's one of the most famous events in the country and it's called Festa da Uva
Festa da Uva
The Festa da Uva or GrapeFest is a biennial celebration of the Italian heritage and culture in the city of Caxias do Sul, state of Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil. The Festa da Uva is held every even-numbered year in February...
, when lots of merrymaking, wine drinking, grapes and people animate the month of February, every two years (on even-numbered years). Visitors may eat cheese, grapes and various Brazilian wines. Visitors interested in the regions wine can also visit the Château Lacave
Château Lacave
Château Lacave is a medieval-style Castle in the city of Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The Castle functions as a winery and produces a complete line of Brazilian wines.-History:...
Castle, a 6th Century-style medieval structure that currently functions as a winery
Winery
A winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
. Caxias do Sul is also one of the four settlements along the beautiful Caminhos da Colônia
Caminhos da Colônia
Caminhos da Colônia, Portuguese for "Pathways of the Colony", is a scenic tourist route of four settlements in the Serra Gaúcha in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil...
scenic tourist route in the Serra Gaúcha
Serra Gaúcha
The Serra Gaúcha, The Gaucho Highlands, is the mountainous region in the northeastern portion of Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil. This mountainous region is home to many Brazilians of German and Italian descent...
.
Caxias do Sul is served by Hugo Cantergiani Airport
Caxias do Sul Airport
Hugo Cantergiani Airport , formerly called Campo dos Bugres Airport, is the airport serving Caxias do Sul, Brazil.It is operated by DAP.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:*...
, formerly called Campo dos Bugres Airport.
Soccer teams
Caxias do Sul is home to the S.E.R. CaxiasSociedade Esportiva e Recreativa Caxias do Sul
Sociedade Esportiva e Recreativa Caxias do Sul, also known as Caxias, is a Brazilian football team in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul.Together with Juventude, it is one of the biggest teams of Rio Grande do Sul state, losing only the Internacional and Grêmio.-History:Caxias was founded on April...
and Juventude
Esporte Clube Juventude
Esporte Clube Juventude, also known as Juventude, is a Brazilian football team in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul.Juventude's greatest rival is Caxias.-History:...
soccer clubs. Even though both teams have recently claimed the Campeonato Gaúcho
Campeonato Gaúcho
The Campeonato da Primeira Divisão de Futebol Profissional da FGF is the top tier of the footballleague of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.-Clubs:Clubs qualified to Campeonato Gaúcho Primeira Divisão 2011.*Canoas*Caxias...
, Juventude has had greater luck at national level, since the team has been in the first division of the Campeonato Brasileiro
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...
for over ten years and won the 2000 edition of the Copa do Brasil
Copa do Brasil
The Copa Kia do Brasil, commonly known as Copa do Brasil , is a knockout competition played by 64 association football teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District...
, while Caxias, as of 2006, plays in the third division. Juventude also has the third biggest population of fans in the state, just behind the two major teams of the state capital city, Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
.
In the 2010 season, both teams played the Brazilian Third Division. S.E.R. Caxias
Sociedade Esportiva e Recreativa Caxias do Sul
Sociedade Esportiva e Recreativa Caxias do Sul, also known as Caxias, is a Brazilian football team in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul.Together with Juventude, it is one of the biggest teams of Rio Grande do Sul state, losing only the Internacional and Grêmio.-History:Caxias was founded on April...
didn't manage to go forward on the competition after the first group stage.Juventude
Esporte Clube Juventude
Esporte Clube Juventude, also known as Juventude, is a Brazilian football team in Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul.Juventude's greatest rival is Caxias.-History:...
was relegated and will be part of the Brazilian Fourth Division in 2011.
External links
- City Hall of Caxias do Sul
- Street Map of Caxias do Sul
- Local Newspaper "O Pioneiro" (The Pioneer)
- The University of Caxias do Sul
- Juventude Soccer Club
- S.E.R. Caxias Soccer Club
- Caxias Bus Station and Schedules
- Caxias do Sul Tourist Guide
- Official Festa da Uva Site (The Grape Festival)
- Chateau Lacave Castle