São Pedro da Aldeia

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Coordinates: 22°50′20″S, 42°06′10″W São Pedro da Aldeia is a town and a municipality in Brazil. Its population was 76,414 (2005) and its area is 340 km².^[1] It lies in the east of Rio de Janeiro State on the Araruama Lake, 120km from the state capital, Rio de Janeiro. Salt extraction and fishing are the two most important industries. São Pedro da Aldeia was founded in 1660 by Catholic priests on the top of a hill named after Saint Peter, in honor of whom the city was named. A chapel was built that was later replaced by an architecturally significant church. Nowadays it is the main historical monument in the town and is protected by state laws. Some colonial buildings and landmarks remain today, such as the cemetery beside the church, where the family graves of the founders of the town remain. The Araruama salty lake has some beaches where swimming is popular. In the 1960s the Brazilian Air Force and Navy built a military airport there, bringing many migrants from others parts of the country and increasing the town's population.