Caxias do Sul

History

Before the arrival of Italian immigrants in the 19th century, the region was inhabited by indigenous Kaingang people, hence its former name: Campo dos Bugres. Tropeiros also passed through the area on their journeys between the south of the state and the central region of the country. The Jesuits attempted to establish some reductions, though without success. In the second half of the 19th century, due to the war of Italian unification, Italy faced severe social and economic crises, and impoverished farmers could no longer sustain themselves. During this period, the Brazilian imperial government decided to colonize uninhabited areas in the south of the country, encouraging immigration from Italy, following the success of a similar initiative with German settlers. The chosen area, then known as Fundos de Nova Palmira, consisted of unclaimed lands bordered by the Campos de Cima da Serra to the north and the German-colonized valley region to the south. In 1875, the first settlers, mostly from the Veneto region, arrived after enduring a grueling month-long crossing of the Atlantic Ocean on overcrowded ships, where deaths from disease and poor conditions were common. Initially, immigrants disembarked in Rio de Janeiro, where they remained in quarantine at the Immigrants' House. They then traveled by steamship to the South, arriving in Porto Alegre, where they were directed to the former Porto Guimarães, now the municipality of São Sebastião do Caí. From there, they ascended the serra, traversing a largely wild region, until reaching their destination: the area now known as Nova Milano. From 1876, they moved to the so-called Sede Dante, the future site of Caxias do Sul, the administrative center of the colony, the first to be demarcated in the region. They were received in…

Geography

Caxias do Sul is located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. It is located at a longitude of 51º10'06 west and a latitude of 29º10'05 south. It belongs to the Northeast Rio Grande do Sul Mesoregion and the Caxias do Sul Microregion. According to the Siegfried Emanuel Heuser Foundation of Economics and Statistics, it has an area of , according to Municipal Government data, or according to the IBGE. It is from the state capital, Porto Alegre, and from Brasília, the federal capital. It borders the municipalities of São Marcos, Campestre da Serra, and Monte Alegre dos Campos to the north, Vale Real, Nova Petrópolis, Gramado, and Canela to the south, São Francisco de Paula to the east, and Flores da Cunha and Farroupilha to the west. The municipality of Caxias do Sul is located in the Atlantic Forest biome and is characterized by mixed ombrophilous forest vegetation. To the east, north, and northeast, the forest is interspersed with areas of low vegetation from the Campos de Cima da Serra, occurring in shallow soils. The landscape has been significantly altered due to agricultural and industrial activities and urban expansion, resulting in a substantial reduction in araucaria presence. The less rugged the terrain, the more extensive the patches of fields, and conversely, the more dynamic the terrain forms, the denser and more continuous the araucaria forests, especially at the headwaters of the main valleys. The lower valley areas are covered by a transitional slope forest, known as the Fig Tree Forest, with greater botanical diversity. The soils, formed over the basaltic layer, are generally very fertile. The city has an IBAMA office, and the Municipal Government implements and oversees extensive environmental legislation created by the Chamber. It maintains a…

Most-observed species

• Rufous-collared Sparrow

  Zonotrichia capensis (P.L.S.Müller, 1776) · Aves
  821
• Rufous-bellied Thrush

  Turdus rufiventris Vieillot, 1818 · Aves
  687
• Southern Lapwing

  Vanellus chilensis (Molina, 1782) · Aves
  647
• Ruddy Ground-Dove

  Columbina talpacoti (Temminck, 1810) · Aves
  541
• White-tipped Dove

  Leptotila verreauxi Bonaparte, 1855 · Aves
  512
• Tropical Parula

  Setophaga pitiayumi (Vieillot, 1817) · Aves
  453
• Rufous Hornero

  Furnarius rufus (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  435
• Rufous-browed Peppershrike

  Cyclarhis gujanensis (Gmelin, 1789) · Aves
  431