Teresina History, Brazil

Teresina is the capital of Piauí estado in north east of Brazil. The city lies 220 miles upstream from the Paranaíba Atlantic Port. The city was founded in 1852 and was the new capital of Piauí. Its original name was Therezina. It replaced Oeiras as the capital of Piauí. Teresina got its name from the Brazil’s Portuguese emperor Dom Pedro II’s wife, Lady Teresa Cristina. She was the last empress of Brazil. She was so highly thought of in Piaui that two more cities were named after her.  

Ever since its creation, the city became the main hub of commercial centers. It boasts of textile plants, sugar mills, distilleries, soap factories and sawmills, today. Moreover it exports cattle, hides, carnauba wax, babassu palm oil, beans, rice, cassava and cotton. Teresina is often referred to as the ‘Mesopotamia of the Northeast’.   

The River Parnaíba flows into the Atlantic Ocean in the north and its delta is comparable to that of River Nile and Vietnam’s Mekong. The main features of the delta are natural mangrove. The famous Brazilian crabs can be found here which are used in different cuisines across Brazil. Teresina is the only inland capital of the Brazilian States. Ever since the city was founded, all the streets of Teresina have been maintained and their sides have been planted with the mango trees. This feature has earned its reputation as being the greenest city in Brazil apart from being the hottest. The areas surrounding the city are called ‘Chapada do Corisco’ or flash lightening flatlands. This is because this place has the third highest lightening incidences on a worldwide basis. 

Some important events:  

Teresina was the first city in Brazil that was ever planned. The planning was done in the year 1852. Its prominence lies in its checker board like layout.  

The monumental church of St. Benedict in the city was built in 1886. The signature feature of the church is the carved timber doors. The neo-classical style Setembro Theatre was built in 1893. In 1961, the art masters Dezinho and Expedito decorated the church of Our Lady of Lourdes with their unique sculptures. The Museum Histórico do Piauí in the city is a State Museum where you can find many exhibition rooms that has antiques and other form of art which speak about the history of the state. A miscellaneous collection of the antique radios and projectors and notes from the columnists of past (who were removed by the government in the year 1937) can be seen in this museum.