- Close to the
estuary of the River Sergipe, flowing into the Atlantic Ocean was
an area that was ideal for setting up a port to handle the export
of sugar and the founding of a new city. Aracaju, one of the first
cities to be planned in Brazil, was established there and built with
the intention of becoming the state capital. Founded in 1855, the
capital of Sergipe has its place on the nation's tourism route with
attractions that include a revitalized shoreline, with catamarans
- boats with special hulls for sailing in calm water - to explore
the city's numerous mango groves, rivers and beaches.
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- With its typically
colonial layout, Aracaju offers both residents and visitors examples
of refined architecture, such as that of the Metropolitan Cathedral
which took thirteen years to build. Completed in 1875, the Cathedral
houses a series of neo-classical paintings including one of Our Lady
of the Conception. Built at the same time as the city, the church
of São Salvador, the first parish church in Aracaju, also bears traces
of the architecture of that period.
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- Walking through
the capital of Sergipe, one of the city's attractions is the Emperor's
Bridge which was commissioned in 1860 for the visit of Emperor Pedro
II. Built over the River Sergipe, the bridge in fact leads nowhere
but is used as a viewpoint. Also in the city centre is the Museum
of History and Geography with a display of igaçabas, or native funeral
urns, and the skeleton of a giant sloth together with a large collection
of fossils.
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- The sea is a
constant presence in Aracaju. The most famous beach in the state is
Atalaia Velha ("old look-out") where there are numerous bars, restaurants,
playgrounds, sports pitches and kiosks; there is also the Praia do
Robalo which, with its creeping vegetation, coconut groves and dunes,
is different from the other beaches chiefly because of the water temperature
which is usually around 27 degrees centigrade. Also by the sea is
the Parque dos Cajueiros, a reserve covering an area of 74,000 m2,
with easy access to soccer pitches, tennis and volleyball courts,
a children's play area, a miniature city, bars, restaurants and kiosks,
as well as a water complex with three swimming pools and a water-toboggan
with a 20 metre drop. To complete the description there are Thursday
evening shows featuring performances by lively local dance groups,
very much to the local taste.
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