Curitiba is a charming city that is the capital of the southern Brazilian state of Parana. The name of the city literally means “many pine seeds” if translated from the language of the Tupi people who inhabited this region in the past. This name is not random. The Parana pine is very widespread in the area. There are many other trees besides pines in Curitiba, so no wonder why this is a popular green capital. The Bandeirantes were the first settlers in the area. They settled here in attempts to find gold. In 1668, Gabriel Lara and seventeen colonists established a new settlement on the site of modern Curitiba. They called it Vila da Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais (Village of "Our Lady of the Light" of the Pines). Twenty-five years later, the area officially became a settlement at the end of March. This is how March 29 became the official birthday of Curitiba. The settlement was developing slowly because local people were only involved in agriculture. A new occupation – cattle breeding – appeared in this region only at the end of the 18th century. It attracted new people to Curitiba and encouraged them to occupy land in the region. The town officially changed its name to Curitiba in 1842. Just eleven years later, the settlement became the capital of Parana State that was established in the 19th century. The economy of the region started developing quickly since then. Woodworking industry, mining, and mate cultivation brought revenues to Curitiba. The first
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