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Jaguaripe

Lat: -13.112752777778000, Long: -38.895880555556000

Jaguaripe

Bahia, Brazil

Historical Background and Urbanism

The city is located between the port area on the Jaguaripe River and its main tributary, the Dona or Caípe River, two leagues from the Atlantic. In the late 16th century, colonisation in the Jaguaripe valley was limited to a number of sugar mills, like that of Gabriel Soares, and small farms. The hamlet of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda emerged early in the next century, becoming a parish in 1613 and a town in 1697 – the first in both the Recôncavo and the province. In 1759, it counted 718 houses and 5,016 souls. Due to the growing importance of Nazaré, situated at the river’s navigation limit, Jaguaripe lost influence, but was eventually aised to the status of a city in 1899. Timber extraction and the production of tiles, bricks and ceramic ware were the main attractions of the region, which quickly became an integral part of the Recôncavo’s sugar economy, supplying it with cassava flour and construction materials. The choice of a 30-metre high hill to found the town was due to defensive reasons, although the absence of attacks led the inhabitants to gradually move down to the port. As at São Francisco do Conde, the seat of religious power is on high ground, whereas civil power is based in the area by the river landing. Jaguaripe is nowadays a city where time seems to have stopped, living from subsistence crops. The urban site is not protected by law, although some buildings are listed by IPHAN.

Religious Architecture

Equipment and Infrastructures

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