Teresópolis

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Teresópolis (informally known as Terê) is a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, near Petrópolis, in the Rio de Janeiro highlands region (Região Serrana, in Portuguese).

Population: 138,081 (2000)
Municipal area: 772.4 square km (298.2 square miles)
Altitude: 871 meters (2857 feet) above mean sea level
Average temperature: 19.3ºC (annual), 22.8ºC (February), 15.9ºC (July)

1 History
2 Mountain peaks of Teresópolis
3 Sport and recreation
4 External links

[edit] History

Teresópolis began as a quilombo founded by Maroons and indigenous peoples. In 1818, Englishman George March (1781–1845) established a farm there, and when he died in the middle of the 19th century, the locals divided the farm into several shares, some of which the new owners eventually resold.

In 1855, the settlement became an incorporated village, and was officially renamed Freguesia de Santo Antonio de Paquequer; however, the local inhabitants had already become accustomed to calling their home Therezopolis (named for the Empress Tereza Cristina). At this time, the village had a population of 2,000.

Count D’Eu and Princess Isabel visited Teresópolis in 1868; Emperor Dom Pedro II visited in 1870, and praised the village's beauty. On July 6, 1891, Brazilian officials upgraded the village's status to municipality.

[edit] Mountain peaks of Teresópolis

Teresópolis is famous in Brazil for its mountain peaks which attract many alpinists from all over the country.

Peak of Pedra do Sino (2,263 meters)
Peak of Pedra do Açu (2,230 meters)
Peak of Agulha do Diabo (2,020 meters)
Peak of Nariz do Frade (1,919 meters)
Peak of Dedo de Deus (1,651 meters)
Peak of Pedra da Ermitage (1,485 meters)
Peak of Dedo de Nossa Senhora (1,320 meters).

Of these, perhaps Dedo de Deus ("God's finger") is the most famous.

[edit] Sport and recreation

Teresópolis has excellent facilities for visitors of the Serra dos Órgãos National Park.

Teresópolis hosts Brazil's football team training center, the Granja Comary. It is also the home of two football teams: Teresópolis Futebol Clube and Teresópolis Esporte Clube.