Guarapuava, Paraná, South Region, Brazil

🇧🇷 Guarapuava is a city in the mid south of Paraná state in Brazil. The region is known as the centre of the state of Paraná, in the third plateau, also called the Plateau of Guarapuava. The city was discovered by the Portuguese in 1770, and founded in 1810.

The first families to settle in the city were formed through the Tropeiros. These families had their roots in Poland, Italy and Germany. The city's birthday is celebrated on December 9, due to the beginning of colonisation between Rio Coutinho and Rio Jordão, in the goodwill of Nossa Senhora de Belém in 1819.

The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Guarapuava.

History Discovered by the Portuguese in 1770 and founded in 1810, the city name derives from the Língua Geral of São Paulo agûarápuaba, meaning "place of Maned wolves sound" (gûará, Maned wolf + pu, sound/noise + aba, place). The city has the commemorative date of the anniversary date of December 9, due to the onset of colonization between Rio Coutinho and the Rio Jordão in the parish of Our Lady of Bethlehem in 1819, with the demarcation of village and church.

The first villages started up near Jaguariaíva, Pirai, Furnas, Castro, and Iapó Pouso of Ponta Grossa. Cities formed along the long path south until you come near the region where it is today the City of Guarapuava.

Its urban area has important role in its initial phase of Chagas Father Francisco Lima, who has started the occupation, based on some criteria of aesthetics, looking for the requirements contained in the charter of April 1, 1809, Count of Linhares, already determined that the standards to be followed by the buildings to be built. As for the point-core refers to Cathedral of Our Lady of Bethlehem, located at the top of the River Basin Cascavel, which was an important reference point for society of the time. The first mayor of Guarapuava was Colonel Pedro Lustosa de Siqueira.

In the year 1852, on July 17, the town of Our Lady of Bethlehem, was elevated to the category of town. On May 2, 1859, the district was created in Guarapuava, and José Antônio Araújo Vasconcelos of the first court of law. The Town of Our Lady of Bethlehem received annual city on April 12, 1871, by Law No. 271. Being separated from the municipality of Castro.

Economy The agricultural sector represents approximately 18% of the composition of GDP. The council has strong participation in agricultural production in the state. It is one of the largest producers of Maris Piper potato in Brazil and also a major producer of corn, soybeans and barley. The industry has 35% share of the GDP, and the timber industry is the industrial activity that employs the most. Manufacture of paper and cardboard, beverage, chemical byproducts, and agro-food industry also has strong participation. The service sector is growing gradually and now includes about 47% of Guarapuava GDP.

Education In 2006, there were 68 state-run schools. Guarapuava has two public universities, the "Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste" and "Universidade Tecnologica Federal do Paraná" and three private colleges, "Faculdade Guarapuava", "Centro Universitário Campo Real" and "Faculdade Guairacá".

Transport The city is served by Tancredo Thomas de Farias Airport.

Geography • Altitude: 1,200 m over the ocean level • Area: 3,115 km² • Distance to Paranaguá: 361 km • Distance to Curitiba: 258 km.

Economy: Tourist Industry The main sights of Guarapuava are: the Cathedral of Our Lady of Bethlehem, the Province of Entre Rios District, the Lake of Tears, the Park Lake, the Museum Entomological Hipólito Schneider, along with the Museum of Natural Science's collection of prof. João José Bigarella the Municipal Museum of Viscount Guarapuava the Jordan Recreation Park, the Municipal Park of Araucárias the San Francisco Municipal Park of Hope (Salto San Francisco), the Salto Curucacas the square of the Faith, the Teal Indian Reservation, the Teal and jump to Schoenstatt Shrine.

The city held a cultural event called Cavalhadas of Guarapuava. The folklore of Cavalhadas remained alive in Guarapuava, and the participation of more than a thousand amateur actors from all social strata and age groups in the municipality. Several dramatisations were incorporated to the event, which has size of party themes, including food, games, dances, medieval circus, with the interaction of princes, sultans and medieval knights. Since 2003 is not performed.

Sport Guarapuava has high-level athletes, including national emphasis on sport as Shooting, cycling, football and kickboxing. It also has significant stakes in state championships. In 2006, the Gymnasium Hall Mayor Joaquim Prestes was totally reformed and adapted to international standards, thus becoming an example for other cities of Paraná and Brazil. This reform was possible to receive various sporting events, which previously were restricted to gyms with less public and less ability to structure for athletes.

Sport: Football Associação Atlética Batel, based in Batel neighborhood, is the city's football club. They competed twice in the Série C. Estádio Waldomiro Gelinski hosts the club's home games.

Futsal

The city has a representative in the Gold Cup of Futsal, the Deportivo Cellutel Tim. This championship is conducted with teams from the elite futsal paranaense. Last year the team was eliminated in the first phase. The team has a nice gym, Gym Municipal Mayor Joaquim Prestes, with more than 2,000 seats, all with chairs. The city also has a women's futsal team, which was the champion of Paranaense futsal in 2008.

Sport: Rugby Among the various sports practiced in the city highlight the growing number of supporters of rugby. Guarapuava was the only municipality in the state that have reached, while three teams of the sport: Lobo Bravo Rugby, Guarapuava Rugby and Minotaurs Rugby Club (the two past already extinct).

Since the year 2006, the city hosted several friendly matches between local teams and teams from Curitiba, Cascavel, Londrina, Ponta Grossa and Ciudad del Este, and also promoted, in 2006, three major competitions: • 1st. Step of First Rugby Championship of the state of Paraná - (rugby union); • 1st. Tournament of Independence (Rugby Sevens); • 1st. Guarapuava Cup of Rugby Seven-a-side, the last two with the participation of over one hundred athletes, not just Guarapuava, but also of Cascavel and Ponta Grossa.

Since its first edition, and traditionally, Guarapuava has hosted the 1st. Stage of the Rugby Championship of the state of Paraná. That tournament, growing every year, currently has the participation, besides the local team, the teams of Curitiba, Cascavel, Londrina, Ponta Grossa, Maringá and Cidade Gaúcha.

Kickboxing Celio Rodrigues is one of the most successful athletes in the country category. Participated in several international events successfully representing your city. In May 2008 he won an international title in Croatia, and in 2009 won the world title in Guarapuava.

Shooting Guarapuava has one of the most modern training centre for shooting sports in the country. Rodrigo Bastos, a city native, won the silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Games.

Chess In 1991 and 1995, Guarapuava hosted the U-18 and U-16 World Chess Championships. In 1991, the events were held at the headquarters of the Guaíra Country Clube, and the U-18 section was won by Vladimir Kramnik.