Jaraguá do Sul, Industrial administrative center in Santa Catarina, Brazil
Jaraguá do Sul is a municipality in the southern state of Santa Catarina, covering 532 square kilometers and home to approximately 178,000 residents. The area sits in a valley surrounded by forested hills, which gave the town its name: Lord of the Valley in the Tupi-Guarani language.
Engineer Emílio Carlos Jourdan founded the settlement in 1876 in a valley that was barely explored at the time. From the early 20th century onward, German and Italian immigrants moved here, building farms and later small factories.
The city celebrates its German heritage at the Schützenfest in October, a folk festival featuring shooting competitions, traditional costumes and music. In January, the Festival de Música de Santa Catarina brings together musicians from different regions, who perform in public spaces throughout the streets.
The city hall is located on Rua Walter Marquardt 1111 and can be reached by phone at 47-3372-8000. Visitors exploring the area will find both urban centers with shops and services, and rural neighborhoods with green spaces.
Around 45 percent of the population descends from German immigrants, which is visible in the cityscape, festivals and many family names. In some neighborhoods, you can still hear German-Portuguese dialects passed down through generations.
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