317th Anniversary of Curitiba

Today, Curitiba is celebrating its 317th anniversary. The celebrations included a huge party throughout the day yesterday at Park Barigui (with a giant cake) and openings by Mayor Beto Richa over the past few days.

The following text can be found at the web site of the prefecture: "On March 29, 1693, the master-settler Matheus Leme Martins, to crown the "calls for peace, quietness of the common people", promoted the first election to the City Hall Council and the installation of the Town, as required by the Portuguese Ordinances. He then founded the town of Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais, after renamed as Curitiba.

It also interesting to recall a story involving the historian Romário Martins. On March 28th, 1906, Alfredo Romário Martins, a respectable alderman and a historian, decided to propose to the City Council the date March 29th, 1693 as the day that the city was founded. In fact the date marks the day the City Council was created and other administrative positions, implementing thus, justice on the spot. It is controversial the choice of this date as the date of the founding of Curitiba, because prior to that date key figures in the history of Curitiba, such as EbanoPereira, Mateus Leme, Baltazar Carrasco dos Reis and Gabriel de Lara are mentioned on documents referencing their activities as the creation of Vilinha in 1648, the transfer of the vilinha to what is now the Praca Tiradentes in 1654, applications for land allotments in 1661 and the lifting of the pillory in 1668 .

But regardless of age, Curitiba is a very special city to live, work and study. Congratulations to Curitiba and congratulations to all who lives here.