Paraty

Paraty is located to the south of the state of Rio de Janeiro, covering an area of 937 Km2, and sharing borders with the municipality of Angra dos Reis and the state of São Paulo. Until the XVII century, its only habitants were the Guaianás natives, as the city is geographically located between ocean and mountains. The Discovery of gold in Minas Gerais turned Paraty into an important exporting port, developing its economy and trade with the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo. The trade of gold was followed by the production of sugar cane, liquor (aguardente), and coffee. The XVIII and XIX centuries represented a peak for the city’s economy, with important infrastructure constructions in Paraty’s historic center. However, since Paraty was a port city, its surroundings lacked important public services such as transportation, proper lighting, and sanitation. Much of Paraty kept an isolated colonial profile as a consequence. The lack of railway and road connections, along with the decreasing importance of its port, caused the city to suffer a sociocultural isolation that lasted until the 70s. Finally, the construction of BR-101 highway connected Paraty to the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, significantly changing that scenario. Ever since 1966, Paraty is officially a National Monument by the Historical Patrimony and National Artistic Institute (Iphan), also being a World Heritage Site candidate.

History

Paraty's founding date differs from historian to historian. Some say that in 1540/1560 there was already a nucleus devoted to São Roque in Morro da Vila Velha (today Morro do Forte); others, from 1597, when Martim Corrêa de Sá embarked on an expedition against the Guaianás Indians of the Paraíba Valley; some others, from 1600, when there was a settlement of paulistas from the Captaincy of São Vicente; and some more, 1606, when the first sesmeiros of the Captaincy of Itanhahém arrived, which, it is believed, will be the origin of the settlement as, roughly speaking, it was the system of Hereditary Captaincies based on the exploitation of natural goods, defense and fixing man to the land in Brazil. Around 1640 the nucleus called Paratii was transferred to where the historic center is located today, in “league and a half of land between the rivers Paratiguaçu (today Perequê-Açu) and Patitiba” donated by Maria Jácome de Mello. The latter, when making the donation, would have imposed two conditions: that the new chapel should be made in devotion to Nossa Senhora dos Remédios and that the safety of the gentile guaianases be kept.