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- The capital
of the state of Paranα
has become world renowned for its innovative urban solutions and the
quality of life enjoyed by its inhabitants. Education and health have
been treated as priority services. The transport system is a model
for major cities. The green area - 52 m2 per inhabitant - is far in
excess of the 16 m2 per inhabitant minimum recommended by the UN.
Wide pavements, Rua 24 Horas (24 Hours Street), conservation of the
architectural heritage and selective refuse collection have been conceived
with the well-being of the population of Curitiba as the starting
point.
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- Curitiba was
born in the shade of Paranα pines a little over three hundred years
ago. Its name bears its native heritage: kur ity ba, as the Indians
used to call the pine-kernels, the fruits of the Paranα pines and
the symbolic tree of Paranα. The city came into being when the gold
prospectors from the coast travelled up-river to the Serra do Mar
arriving at the plains. The first nucleus settled on the banks of
the River Atuba in a place called Vilinha. Soon afterwards, the urban
centre was transferred to the site of the present Tiradentes Square.
It was in this area that the town of Nossa Senhora da Luz do Pinhais
had its beginnings, being officially founded on March 29th, 1693.
In 1842, the town acquired city status with the name Curitiba, before
being elevated to state capital in 1853..
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- During the course
of its history, influenced by interbreeding, the capital of Paranα
has managed to harmonize colonial mansions, daring architectural projects
as well as nature. Pedreira Paulo Leminski, the location of the σpera
de Arame - a theatre seating 1,800 in the stalls and 600 in boxes
- and where an open-air stage has a disused stone quarry as a backdrop
- is an example of that integration.
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- Holder of the
title of Brazilian city offering the best quality of life, Curitiba
is the forerunner in terms of concern for ecology, setting up Brazil's
first environmental university, the Free University of the Environment,
which runs projects relating to a sustainable economy, conservation
of the ecosystem and environmental education. Deep in a native forest
covering 37,000 m2, its researchers are highly aware and are influencing
the growth of the city, which bases its economy on trade, the provision
of services and processing industries, scattered across Curitiba's
Industrial City. In addition, the city has one of Brazil's best public
transport systems, having exported several of its schemes, such as
the Integrated System, which was sold to New York. Curitiba was the
first Brazilian city to implement the selective collection of refuse
and publicize information on recycling processes.
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- The well-being
of the citizen is the main preoccupation of the city, whose urban
expansion is planned so as to avoid stress for its inhabitants. In
order for both residents and visitors to enjoy the numerous parks
and the city's pure air, the local corporation has organized a special
bus service. But the city's trademark is the pine-kernel footprint
walk. This is a three kilometre route that can be walked,cycled or
travelled along by a special bus running between the city's tourist
spots. By following the enormous pine-kernels painted on the ground,
the visitor can follow a cultural and historical route that forms
part of the Footprints in the Memory projectz leading to churches,
historic buildings and squares.
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