Wanderlust of a Flâneur: Pindamonhangaba (São Paulo, Brazil)

The Flag of Pindamonhangaba was designed by a committee organized by Professor Mário César de Assis and the teachers David de Moura and José Wadie Milad. It was established by Act Number. 55 on July 6, 1950.

The green and yellow are colours of the Imperial flag, which perfectly symbolized the participation of Pindamonhangaba at the Grito do Ipiranga (Independence of Brazil). The people of the region supported fervently the Brazilian independence from Portugal.

The red and white - blood and purity - fetched from the Bandeira Paulista, represent the epic year of 1932, when a civil war took heroically the life of a son of Pindamonhangaba named Julio Salgado, one of the commanders of the Paulista forces against Brazil.

The sources of wealth of the city, coming from the three kingdoms of nature (animal, vegetable and mineral) are perfectly represented by red, green and yellow.

Cruzeiro do Sul: The silver stars represent the Christian origin and the top star represents the glorious State of São Paulo

The white stripe interrupted in the center by the blue sky of the night of political emancipation (July 10th 1705), symbolizes two river which are geographically and historically linked throught Bicudo Leme: The South Paraíba River and Ipiranga River.

The golden crown represents the title of nobility: "Princess of the North", bequeathed to Pindamonhangaba by the ancestors.

The coat of arms of Pindamonhangaba was created by Athayde Marcondes and designed by the engineer João Pedro Cardoso. The coat of arms has been used by the Legislative and Executive sectors of the municipality since 1922.

Heraldic description, according to the author: Modern shield and mural crown. In the shield there is Mantiqueira mountain range and the left bank of the Paraíba River, regions in which there are coffee and rice crops, whose branches decorate the shield, on the right and on the left side. Below the shield there is a piece of green and yellow ribbon (representing the colours of the Brazilian flag) which reads: Pro Patria Semper - For Fatherland Always.

City: Pindamonhangaba

State: São Paulo

Country: Brazil

GPS Coordinates

CONTENTS

Bosque da Princesa

My Videos of Pindamonhangaba

Independence Day 2018 in Pindamonhangaba

Independence Day 2017 in Pindamonhangaba

Grand opening of the monument dedicated to FEB (World War II)

Independence Day 2016 in Pindamonhangaba

Independence Day 2015 in Pindamonhangaba

The Prince Imperial of Brazil Visits Bosque da Princesa in Pindamonhangaba - 2015

2015 - Protest Anti Socialist Government in Pindamonhangaba and The Revolution of 64 (full article here)

UN Soldiers Training in Pindamonhangaba (2013)

Visit to Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Dom Pedro I e Dona Leopoldina (2012)

São Paulo FC vs Pindamonhangaba - Football 2010 (full article here)

Independence Day 2005 in Pindamonhangaba

My Commentaries: I came to live in Pindamonhangaba around 10 years ago. The town was a typical countryside town of São Paulo, but since then many things have changed. Progress has come and the town is slowly discovering and sharing its rich History and Tradition. More cultural events are happening, classic buildings being restored, I just hope it continues. I personally consider Pindamonhangaba the best town in Vale do Paraíba region, with a good planning one can do a program that involves both urban and nature tourism.

Links:

Official Website of the Municipality of Pindamonhangaba (in English)

Interesting Facts:

- Pindamonhangaba means "the place where hooks are made" or "where the river bends" in native indian language.

- Euterpe Music Corporation is the oldest marching band in continuous activity in the country.

- Pindamonhangaba must be highlighted in three important moments of History: In the Imperial times when the town served the empire with many guards, at the Paulista Revolution in 1932 when São Paulo bravely fought against all the country to defeat a dictator and during WWII when the town sent soldiers to fight the Nazis in Italy.

- Berta Celeste Homem de Melo was a woman from Pindamomhangaba who wrote the official lyrics in Portuguese for the American song "Happy Birthday To You".

- During the WWII Pindamonhangaba ended up with a concentration camp for Germans of the ship Windhuk that was captured in Santos.

- The first meeting of the UN was held by Pedro Leão Veloso, from Pindamonhangaba, ambassador in Washington.

- Tribuna do Norte of Pindamonhangaba is the second oldest newspaper in São Paulo founded in 1882 by João Romeiro.

- Pindamonhangaba is the national capital city of aluminium recycling.

- Emilio Ribas, one of greatest professionals of the country in public health, was from Pindamonhangaba.

- The area that today is Campos do Jordão belonged to Pindamonhangaba (Villa de Pindamonhangaba) in 1790 when Inacio Caetano Vieira de Carvalho acquired an allotment letter.

- A free-download music compilation named Pindamonhangaba Project was produced by CYBER10 with Indie / Metal / Electronic local musicians and bands.

- Pindamonhangaba won for the first time in 2016 the certificate of the Município Verde Azul initiative, which is organised by the Sistema Ambiental Paulista, the environment department of São Paulo State.

- Pindamonhangaba used to provide the Empire of Brazil with many soldier from its land.

- In the 18th century Pindamonhangaba sent troops of soldiers to fight the Spanish on the South border of Brazil, including a troop of black people (free slaves) what was something new at that time.

- Residents of Pindamonhangaba started to build the first chapel (Igreja do Rosário) where today is São Bento do Sapucaí but the Mineiros messed all up (as always) then the building was paralysed but later retaken and finished.

- With the support of Pindamonhangaba, after many battles, the territory that today is Santo Antônio do Pinhal was protected from the Mineiros invaders, keeping it Paulista until nowadays.

- Gabriel Goffi, a Brazilian genius of the poker game and the best worldwide Mid-High Stakes player (2013) was born and raised in Pindamonhangaba

The neighbourhoods in Pindamonhangaba - For a high quality version click here

History of Pindamonhangaba:

The region then occupied by the Portuguese was Pindamonhangaba at least since July 22, 1643, registering more remote occupation by a certain Captain João Prado Martins. Six years later, on May 17, 1649, the area was formalized as a land grant and donated to the captain. It seems there is no information about what occurred between that date and August 12, 1672, so 13 years later, a chapel was built in honor of São José by brothers Antônio Bicudo Leme and Braz Esteves Leme. The brothers Leme have acquired of the Countess of Vimieiro (Condesa de Vimieiro), the lands north of the town of Taubaté. There is no news of how the allotment had passed from the hands of Captain Prado Martins to the Countess of Vimieiro. Given the uncertainties of history, two recent mayors of the city solved the problem by fiat: Caio Gomes Mayor officiated at the date of August 12, 1672 (Leme brothers) as the founding date of the city and later, Mayor João Bosco Nogueira decreed magna that date the county was founded was the date of emancipation, July 10, 1705.

Anthem of Pindamonhangaba:

Lyrics: Dr. João Marcondes de Moura Romeiro

Melody : Conducer João Gomes de Araújo

Salve! Ó terra querida!

Paraíso terreal,

Onde tudo tem mais vida !

Salve! Ó terra natal

Nos corações dos teus filhos

Não se apagarão jamais,

Tradições que nos orgulham

Contadas por nossos pais.