Lages
Encyclopedia
Lages, formerly Lajens, is a 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...
ian town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
located in the central part of the state of Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
, in the region known in Portuguese as "Planalto Serrano".
It is located in the mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
region of the state. It is the main city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of this region, and borders the towns of Otacílio Costa
Otacílio Costa
Otacílio Costa is a town and municipality in the state of Santa Catarina in the South region of Brazil.-References:...
, São Joaquim
São Joaquim
São Joaquim is a municipality in the state of Santa Catarina, situated in southern Brazil. It is located at latitude 28 ° 17 '38 "south and longitude 49 ° 55' 54" West, with an altitude of 1353 meters. Its population in 2004 was 23,114 inhabitants. Located in the Planalto Serrano, is located...
, and Correia Pinto
Correia Pinto
Correia Pinto is a town and municipality in the state of Santa Catarina in the South region of Brazil.-References:...
. The main course of urban water is Carahá River.
Lages hosts an annual festival called Festa do Pinhão, that is famous throughout the country.
Economically, the city is known for its strong cattle breeding and wood processing factories.
History
In the beginning of the 17th century, the arrival of the first Europeans established the town. The growing of the Campos de Lajens was due to the opening of roads to reach the fields of the state Rio Grande do SulRio 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...
. The people of São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
and Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
were attracted to this region due to the cattle-breeding business with the gauchos.
Very primitive documents mention Lajens as a stop for horse riders that were traveling from Sorocaba
Sorocaba
Sorocaba is a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Sorocaba is the fourth largest city in the state of São Paulo. Outside the Greater São Paulo region, it ranks behind only Campinas, Sao Jose dos Campos and Ribeirão Preto...
or São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, transporting mules, horses and cattle. Correia Pinto
Correia Pinto
Correia Pinto is a town and municipality in the state of Santa Catarina in the South region of Brazil.-References:...
, the founder, was a horse rider, and ran cattle groups from Lajens to São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
.
On November 22, 1766, Lajens was promoted to state from village. In 1820 it detached itself from São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
to be part of the state of Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
. On May 25, 1860, it was elevated to city status. In 1960 the city's name was changed to Lages with a "g" wrongly inserted.
During the Revolução Farroupilha, Lages belonged to the state of Rio Grande do Sul
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...
.