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Fortaleza, Ceará
Image:Panorama fortaleza alberto craveiro.jpg Downtown Fortaleza
Image:Fortaleza bandeira.png Flag
Nickname: "Fortal"
Motto: "Fortitudine"
Image:Ceara Municip Fortaleza.svg Location in the state of Ceará and Brazil
Country	Brazil
Region	Northeast
State	Ceará
Founded	December 12, 1726
Mayor	Luizianne Lins (PT)
Area
- City	313.8 km²  (121.1 sq mi)
Elevation	21 m  (68,9 ft)
Population
- City (2006)	2.416.920<ref>[http://www.ibge.gov.br/home/estatistica/populacao/estimativa2006/POP_2006_DOU.pdf Estimativas das Populações Residentes, em 01.07.2006, Segundo os Municípios] (Portuguese). IBGE. Retrieved on 2006-09-01.</ref>
- Density	7,587.68/km² (19,611/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-3 (UTC-3)

Fortaleza (Portuguese for fortress, pronounced [foɾ.ta.le.zɐ]) is the state capital of Ceará, located in northeastern Brazil. With a population of less than 2.6, it is considered the second most important city in the region in economic terms, after Salvador in Bahia. Fortaleza has an area of 336 sq km. To the north of the city lies the Atlantic Ocean; to the south are the cities of Pacatuba, Eusébio, Maracanaú and Itaitinga; to the east is the county of Aquiraz and the Atlantic Ocean; and to west is the city of Caucaia.

Contents 1 History 2 Tourism 3 Cultural features 3.1 Landmarks 4 Education 5 Sports 6 References 7 External links

[edit] History

Fortaleza's history began on February 2, 1500 when Spaniard Vicente Pinzón landed in Mucuripe's cove and named the new land Santa Maria de la Consolación, but because of the Treaty of Tortillas, the discovery was never officially sanctioned. Colonization began when the Dutch constructed Fort Schoonenborch in 1649. Later, the Portuguese expelled the Dutch and renamed it Forte de Nossa Senhora da Assunção. Around the well-preserved fort, a small village grew to become the fifth largest city in Brazil. In 2004, Luizianne Lins was elected as mayor.

[edit] Tourism

Three thousand hours of sunlight per year and the constant ocean breeze make Fortaleza an appealing tourist attraction. The nightlife is full of festivities, with bars, restaurants, and shows. The city is known for having the "wildest Monday nights in the world". The Praia de Iracema (Iracema's beach), one of the first urban nuclei of the city, holds many bars and restaurants. It includes the Ponte dos Ingleses (Bridge of the Englishmen)—the old docks—is located and used to watch the sunset and spot dolphins.

Warm waters bathe Fortaleza's urbanized beaches, which offer every comfort to the tourist. The scenery is complemented by the jangadas (small and rustic rafts used by many of Ceará's fishermen). The jagandas bear seafood for Ceará cuisine. The Praia do Futuro (Beach of the Future) is a popular meeting place for bathers, with many beachside restaurants, built in local style using carnauba straw. The local population calls them "Barracas de Praia." On Thursday nights, the beach becomes the focus of the city's nightlife, with live music, forró and crab a popular choice to eat.

A few kilometres away from the city are some well-known beaches: Prainha, Iguape and Porto das Dunas. The last two both have large water parks.

[edit] Cultural features

Fortaleza has a strong cultural life. Since the end of 19th century, the city has been home to various cultural institutions. The Instituto do Ceará (Ceará Institute) was estabilished in 1887. Their reseach have a historic, geographic and antropologic type. The Academia Cearense de Letras (Cearense Academy of Letters) was the first institution of the sort in the country, being established in August 15 of 1894. In 1892, Fortaleza was place of a cultural movement of literary expression called "Spiritual Bakery" and it praised literary style used on Week of Modern Art of 1922. There are many others cultural centers as the Banco do Nordeste Cultural Center and the most important, Dragão do Mar Center of Art and Culture that is placed on the quarter of Praia de Iracema, an important cultural place of Fortaleza. The folklore of Fortaleza is rich and diversificated. Have your roots on miscigenation of beliefs of white, black and indian races. Some of the cultural manifestations are:

• Bumba-meu-boi or Boi-Ceará: are songs and dances of a religious cult to the ox, and have Portuguese roots.
• Dança do coco: originated by Afro-Brazilians. On the beach it is just for men and in the hinterland it is danced in pairs.
• Torém: Indian dance originated by the tremembés indians.
• Maracatu: Dance and music. The Fortaleza maractu is the Baque Virado or Nação lines and is celebrated on the carnivals.
• Violeiros, cantadores and emboladores: musical manifestation expressing social critical. Has typical northeast origins.

[edit] Landmarks

Fortaleza is the home of numerous landmarks and is a popular tourist destination. Landmarks include:

• José de Alencar playhouse
• Mucuripe lighthouse
• Cathedral
• Iracema Statue
• Nossa Senhora da Assunção Fort
• Palace of Light

There is also Beach Park, a water park near Porto das Dunas, twenty minutes by bus outside of Fortaleza. Another place that is close by is called Bico das Andreas. It is a mountain with waterfalls, a restaurant, and some sitting pools of cool water.

[edit] Education

Education in Fortaleza is provided by a vast number of public and private institutions. Fortaleza is home to some of the most important universities, and research centers in the Northeast of Brazil. Universidade Federal do Ceará and Universidade Estadual do Ceará are the public universities in the city. The greatest private institutio is Universidade de Fortaleza.

[edit] Sports

Fortaleza provides visitors and residents with various sport activities. There are several soccer clubs based in Fortaleza such as Fortaleza EC, Ferroviário AC and Ceará SC. Strong winds make the Praia do Futuro an excellent place for nautical sports. Fortaleza hosts world competitions of surfing,windsurfing and kitesurfing.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Fortaleza City Hall Website (in Portuguese)
• Fortaleza Guide
• Visit Fortaleza

• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: -3.7737° -38.5748°
  • Mapping from Multimap or GlobalGuide or Google Maps
  • Aerial image from TerraServer
  • Satellite image from WikiMapia

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