Our city
Santa Maria Madalena is a city located in the mountainous region of the State of Rio. It is known for its natural beauty, with lush forests, waterfalls and mountains.
The city also has a rich historical and cultural heritage, with churches, museums and colonial houses and is an ideal destination for those looking for contact with nature, culture and history.
In addition to these tourist attractions, Santa Maria Madalena also offers a variety of ecotourism activities, such as hiking, climbing and canoeing. The city is also a popular destination for those who enjoy enjoying local cuisine.
Santa Maria Madalena, with an approximate altitude of 632 meters, is located in the mountainous region of the State of Rio, at a distance of 223 km from the City of Rio de Janeiro, 95 km from Nova Friburgo and 88 km from Macaé. The municipality borders São Fidélis to the North, Campos dos Goytacazes to the East, Conceição de Macabu and Trajano de Moraes to the South and São Sebastião do Alto to the West.
The exploration of the region, today occupied by the municipality of Santa Maria Madalena, dates back to 1840, when the Portuguese Manoel Teixeira Portugal passed through there. Soon after, woodsman José Vicente settled in the area, who arrived there in pursuit of fugitive blacks and set up a ranch in the same location as his predecessor.
According to legend, the aforementioned lands were given in exchange for a Swiss-made rifle to Father Francisco Xavier Frouthé, who donated part of them to build a chapel in honor of Saint Mary Magdalene, in fulfillment of his promise. If the fact, with the appearance of legend, is nothing more than oral news, there is, however, the deed drawn up in notes by the peace clerk Antônio Leoclat, from the parish of São Francisco de Paula, third District of Vila de Cantagalo, on April 20 1850, which partially supports the traditional statement.
Due to the swamps full of white clay, travelers who sought the Cantagalo-Macaé road gave the place the name Tabatinga, which was the first name of Arraial do Santíssimo, current city of Santa Maria Madalena.
The elevation to the category of parish took place in 1855 and to that of town in 1861, separated from the term of Cantagalo and having the parishes of São Francisco de Paula and São Sebastião do Alto attached to it. Colonel Braz Fernandes Carneiro Viana, brother-in-law of the Duque de Caxias, stood out in the fight to become a municipality. Santa Maria Madalena became a city in 1862.
Source: PMSMM Portal
