History of Florianópolis

The history of Santa Catarina Island begins long before Florianópolis. Knowing it makes the trip more interesting: it is there on the beaches, in the forts, in the villages and even in the city’s name.

Before the Europeans

Archaeological remains point to occupation by the sambaqui (shell-mound) peoples from around 4800 BC, according to Wikipedia. When the Europeans arrived in the 16th century, the island was home to the Carijó people, who farmed, fished and gathered. The rock carvings on Campeche Island and at Santinho are traces of that past.

Nossa Senhora do Desterro

Permanent settlement began with the bandeirante (frontier explorer) Francisco Dias Velho, who founded the settlement of Nossa Senhora do Desterro in 1673, where Praça XV stands today. It became a town (vila) in 1726.

Forts and Azoreans

From 1737 the island was occupied by the military. Brigadier José da Silva Paes, appointed in 1739 as the first governor of the Captaincy of Santa Catarina, designed the forts of the North Bay. In the mid-18th century, thousands of Azorean immigrants arrived on the island, bringing their architecture, their faith, fishing, bobbin lace and their witch stories. See Azorean culture.

Capital and a new name

Desterro became the capital of the province of Santa Catarina in 1823. After the Federalist Revolution, in 1894, governor Hercílio Luz renamed the city Florianópolis in honor of President Floriano Peixoto. Wikipedia notes that the choice displeased part of the population, which had opposed his government.

20th century: the bridge and the modern island

In 1926, the Hercílio Luz Bridge linked the island to the mainland. Later came the BR-101 highway, the Colombo Salles (1975) and Pedro Ivo Campos (1991) bridges, the federal university in the Trindade neighborhood and a strong technology hub.

The Island of Magic

The nickname comes from the legends of witches and fantastic creatures in Azorean tradition, recorded by Franklin Cascaes.