Cantagalo, Rio de Janeiro

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Cantagalo (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˌkɐ̃tɐˈɡalu]), formerly spelled Cantagallo,^[2][3] is a city located in the east-central area of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The population is 20,168 (2020 est.) in an area of 749 km².^[4] Its elevation is 391 m (1,283 ft).

History

Colonization of Cantagalo began in 1755, when Portuguese nobleman Manoel Henriques, Duke of Terso and a clandestine gold miner, left the state of Minas Gerais in search of unexplored riches. Henriques and his group erected a settlement^{[citation needed]} on a small tributary of the Parahyba approximately 80 miles (129 km) northwest of Rio^[2] and began exploring along the local rivers. It was originally known as Sertões de Macacu after the nearby Macacu River.^{[citation needed]}

By 1784, the settlement had grown to accommodate approximately 200 houses. This growth caught the attention of the Portuguese rulers of Brazil, who had a monopoly over gold exploration in the colony. By order of the Viceroy Luiz de Vasconcelos e Souza, several expeditions were sent in search of Henriques and his group. The town's current name (Portuguese for "rooster crow") was inspired by the circumstances of his capture. A troop was about to return to their camp after a day of searching in vain around the woods, when a soldier heard the crowing of a rooster nearby and decided to further explore the area. One of Henriques's men was found in a clearing in the woods and, in exchange for his release, revealed the whereabouts of the rest of the group. Henriques was deported to Africa in dishonour.^{[citation needed]}

By 1786, the settlement's name had been officially changed from Sertões de Macacu to Cantagalo. In 1814, Cantagalo was officially recognized by Emperor Pedro I as a municipality and in October 1857, was officially elevated to the category of city.^{[citation needed]} By the mid-19th century, the area's gold was played out and the settlement came to depend on agriculture.^[2] Corn, coffee, and sugarcane plantations covered several acres of highly fertile land.^{[citation needed]}

Before the First World War, Cantagallo was considered a rich fruit- and coffee-producing district and was connected to Rio via a 100-mile-long eponymous railway.^[3]

Nowadays, the city's economic activities still revolve around agriculture, with the exploration of granite and calcareous rock for the cement industry also playing a strong role. Some of the largest cement manufacturers in Brazil have facilities in Cantagalo.^{[citation needed]}

Notable residents

The financial journalist Jose Carlos Rodrigues was the son of a coffee planter of Cantagallo, and born there in 1844. Brazilian writer Euclides da Cunha, was born in Cantagalo on January 15, 1886. One of the city's districts is named Euclidelândia, in his homage. Brazilian football player Jairo Da Silva, was born in Cantagalo, Rio de Janeiro. He is the most notable football player of the town. Now he is playing in Pafos FC.

Notes

References

• Baynes, T. S., ed. (1878), "Cantagallo" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 5 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 27
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Cantagallo" , Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 5 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 208

External links

• City's official website Archived 2020-08-23 at the Wayback Machine

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Municipalities of Rio de Janeiro

Capital: Rio de Janeiro

Mesoregion
Baixadas

Bacia de São João	Casimiro de Abreu Rio das Ostras Silva Jardim
Lagos	Araruama Armação dos Búzios Arraial do Cabo Cabo Frio Iguaba Grande São Pedro da Aldeia Saquarema

Mesoregion
Centro Fluminense

Cantagalo-Cordeiro	Cantagalo Carmo Cordeiro Macuco
Nova Friburgo	Bom Jardim Duas Barras Nova Friburgo Sumidouro
Santa Maria Madalena	Santa Maria Madalena São Sebastião do Alto Trajano de Morais
Três Rios	Areal Comendador Levy Gasparian Paraíba do Sul Sapucaia Três Rios

Mesoregion
Metropolitana do
Rio de Janeiro

Itaguaí	Itaguaí Mangaratiba Seropédica
Macacu-Caceribu	Cachoeiras de Macacu Rio Bonito
Microregion Rio de Janeiro	Belford Roxo Duque de Caxias Guapimirim Itaboraí Japeri Magé Maricá Nilópolis Niterói Mesquita Nova Iguaçu Queimados Rio de Janeiro São Gonçalo São João de Meriti Tanguá
Serrana	Petrópolis São José do Vale do Rio Preto Teresópolis
Vassouras	Engenheiro Paulo de Frontin Mendes Miguel Pereira Paracambi Paty do Alferes Vassouras

Mesoregion
Noroeste Fluminense

Itaperuna	Bom Jesus do Itabapoana Italva Itaperuna Laje do Muriaé Natividade Porciúncula Varre-Sai
Santo Antônio de Pádua	Aperibé Cambuci Itaocara Miracema Santo Antônio de Pádua São José de Ubá

Mesoregion
Norte Fluminense

Campos dos Goytacazes	Campos dos Goytacazes Cardoso Moreira São Fidélis São Francisco de Itabapoana São João da Barra
Macaé	Carapebus Conceição de Macabu Macaé Quissamã

Mesoregion
Sul Fluminense

Baía da Ilha Grande	Angra dos Reis Parati
Barra do Piraí	Barra do Piraí Rio das Flores Valença
Vale do Paraíba Fluminense	Barra Mansa Itatiaia Pinheiral Piraí Porto Real Quatis Resende Rio Claro Volta Redonda

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