Cairu is a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality' ...
in the
state
State most commonly refers to:
* State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory
**Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country
**Nation state, a ...
of
Bahia
Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...
in the
North-East region of
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. The municipality consists of three islands: the Island of Cairu, which is only separated from the mainland by a narrow river;
Tinharé Island, which has the dense tourist settlement of Morro de São Paulo to the north; and
Boipeba Island.
The municipality contains part of the of the
Caminhos Ecológicos da Boa Esperança Environmental Protection Area, created in 2003.
History
The Cairu region was home to a large population of
Aimoré people. The Portuguese arrived in the area early in the 16th century and soon established a sugarcane plantation. Francisco Romeo, administrator of the Captaincy of São Jorge dos Ilhéus founded a small settlement in Cairu based on its mild climate. The settlers displaced the Aimoré and the settlement, known as the Vila de Nossa Senhora do Rosário do Cairú, was established in 1608. It was located on an elevation overlooking the Tinharé Channel, which leads directly to the Atlantic Ocean. The Franciscans arrived in 1654 to build the
Convent and Church of Saint Anthony on another high point in the settlement. Cairu became a major producer of manioc flour and timber in the 17th century. The town was forced to contribute 166$000 annually for three decades to fund the rebuilding of
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
after the
1755 earthquake.
By 1911 the village consisted of five districts: Cairu, the village seat; Galeão; Gamboa; Morro de São Paulo; and Velha Boipeba. It was raised to city status in 1938.
Historic structures
Cairu is home to numerous colonial-period historic structures, some designated as Brazilian state or national monuments. The
historic center of Cairu (''Centro Histórico de Cairu'') lacks state or federal protection, but is home to numerous historic homes, government buildings, and churches.
*
Convent and Church of Saint Anthony (''Convento e Igreja de Santo Antônio'')
*Parish Church of Our Lady of the Rosary (''Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora do Rosário'')
*Sobrado at Rua Direita, 34 (''Sobrado à Rua Direita, 34'')
*Sobrado Grande
*Former Town Hall (''Antiga Prefeitura'')
*Church of Saint Francis Xavier (''Igreja de São Francisco Xavier '')
*Casa com Veranda de Ferro
*Fort of the Morro de São Paulo (''Fortaleza do Morro de São Paulo'')
*Sítio de Morro de São Paulo
*
Fonte Grande of Morro de São Paulo (''Fonte Grande do Morro de São Paulo'')
*Forte da Ponte
*Sobrado na Praça Aureliano O. de Lima
*Church of the Holy Spirit (''Igreja Matriz do Divino Espírito Santo '')
*Church of Saint Sebastian (''Igreja de São Sebastão'')
Transportation
Cairu is served by
Lorenzo Airport located in the district of
Morro de São Paulo
Morro de São Paulo (translation: St. Paul's Hill) is one of five villages of the island of Tinharé in the municipality of Cairu, located in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The main beaches of the Morro de São Paulo are located on east side of t ...
and by
Fábio Perini Airport located in the district of
Boipeba.
Noted resident
Portugal football international
Liedson was born in Cairu.
See also
*
List of municipalities in Bahia
This is a list of the municipalities in the state of Bahia (BA), located in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Bahia is divided into 417 municipalities, which were, until 2017, grouped into 32 microregions, which were grouped into 7 mesoregions.
...
References
Populated coastal places in Bahia
Municipalities in Bahia
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