Manaus was founded in 1669 with the fort of São José do Rio Negro and became a village in 1832 under the name of Manaus, which means "mother of the gods."
It was legally changed to town in October 24th, 1848 under the name "Cidade da Barra do Rio Negro" and in 1856 returned to its current name.
Manaus was featured in the twentieth century, at the time of greater appreciation of the rubber, and was known as "Heart of the Amazon" and "Forest City".
The story begins in Manaus in 1669, with European colonization in the region with a strong implementation of the "Forte de Sao Jose da Barra do Rio Negro."
The fort was built to ensure the dominance of the crown of Portugal and to prevent invasion of the Dutchs.
Because of the Portuguese colonization, many traits and deeds of the Indians were erased and it can be noted with the destruction of the cemetery of the Indians, which today is located the Dom Pedro Square and Rio Branco Palace.
With the proclamation of the republic on November 15, 1889, the province of Amazonas became the state of Amazonas, with the capital city of Manaus.
Rubber, which is raw material for industries worldwide, has become increasingly sought after and therefore the migration of other peoples to Manaus increased significantly.
The immigration of Jews, French, English, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and others and had also increased population growth.
This period was known as the best phase of the rubber, the city grew and gained the service of transportation, electricity, water and telephone services and was an international reference in the discussions on tropical diseases, sanitation and public health.
With the creation of the Manaus Free Trade Zone in 1960, Manaus is the capital today that has grown more economically in the last forty years.
CULTURE
The historical formation of Manaus is the result of mixing of three basic ethnic groups that comprise the Brazilian population: the Indian, European and black, thus forming the mestizos of the region (Caboclos).
The culture of the city was influenced by the native people of the region and the various groups of immigrants, mainly Spanish, Portuguese and French and migrants from other regions who have settled there.
Manaus then became a city with broad cultural mix, with European features in its architecture and its culinary dishes from various regions of the country due to migration, particularly the Northeast.
Manaus has theaters, museums, concert halls, educational institutions, art galleries, libraries and Culture House, and is a rich city for music, visual arts, and literature.
In folkloric events that happen in the months of June and July, there is the traditional parade of Bois-Bumbás, a big attraction for thousands of people who want to know more about the Amazon folkloric.
Read the next page for more information about Typical Festivals of Manaus.
