Olinda (Portuguese for the "oh! beautiful") is a city in Pernambuco, Brazil, located on the Brazilian northeastern shore of the Atlantic Ocean, north of Recife and south of Paulista. It has a population of 376,800 people (2005) and is one of the best-preserved colonial cities in Brazil.

Olinda has a lot of tourist attractions, such as:

• a historic downtown area (human heritage)
• churches
• Carnival: The carnival in Olinda is a popular street party, very similar to traditional Portuguese carnivals, with the addition of African influenced dances. Unlike Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, in Olinda you don't pay for the best places. All the party is in the streets. No "bleachers" nor "cord of rope". There are hundreds of little musical groups (sometimes one person), in various categories.

History

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The settlement of Olinda was founded in 1535 by Duarte Coelho Pereira; it had been elevated to village in March 12, 1537. Olinda was the capital of the captainship of Pernambuco, but was flared up by Dutch, which translated the capital to Recife.

Besides its natural beauty, Olinda is also one of the most important Brazil's cultural centers. Declared, in 1982, Historical and Cultural Patrimony of Humanity by the UNESCO, Olinda relive the magnificence of the past every year during the Carnival, in the rhythm of frevo, maracatu and others rhythms.

External links

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• Olinda's official website
• http://www.olinda.com.br Commercial site

1535 establishments | Cities in Brazil | World Heritage Sites in Brazil

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