Vila Velha

Coordinates: 20°20′11″S 40°17′37″W / 20.33639°S 40.29361°W / -20.33639; -40.29361

Vila Velha
Municipality
The Municipality of Vila Velha
Skyline of Vila Velha.
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): The Land of the Green Shins (Portuguese: Terra dos Canelas-Verdes)
Location in the State of Espírito Santo
Country	Brazil
Region	Southeast
State	Espírito Santo
Founded	May 23, 1535
Government
• Mayor	Rodney Miranda(DEM)
Area
• Total	208 km2 (80 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	427,579
• Density	1,906/km2 (4,940/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC-3 (UTC-3)
Postal Code	29100-000
Area code(s)	+55 27
Website	Vila Velha, Espírito Santo

Vila Velha (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvilɐ ˈvɛʎɐ], Old Town) is a coastal town in Espírito Santo, Brazil. It lies across from Vitória, the state capital. Its population was 396,323 (2005) and its area is 208.82 km².^[1]

Vila Velha forms part of the Greater Vitória metropolitan area. To the north is Vitória, to the west Cariacica and Viana, to the south Guarapari, and to the east the Atlantic Ocean.

Notable corporations in Vila Velha include Garoto, one of Brazil's largest chocolate manufacturers.

Vila Velha has been through several years of intense real estate development and several luxury buildings are now a common sight in all of its main beaches. Some critics argue that this practice can be considered excess urbanization of a previously low-profile area, despite the economic benefits.

The Deputy Darcy Castelo de Mendonça Bridge, known as Third Bridge (Portuguese: Terceira Ponte), is the second tallest bridge in Brazil, connecting and reducing the distance between the cities of Vila Velha and Vitória.

History

Vila Velha is the oldest township in Espírito Santo, having been founded on the 23 May 1535. First called Vila do Espírito Santo, it was founded by Vasco Fernandes Coutinho and initially served as the capital of Espírito Santo. Coutinho, owner of the Espírito Santo colony, was forced to return to Portugal around 1550 in order to recruit new colonists, as there were not enough to sustain the colony. Upon his return, however, he discovered that there had been violent disputes between the colonists, slaves, and Indians, which had forced most inhabitants to flee to the island of Vitória. In response, Coutinho relocated the capital to Vitória. Afterward, Vila Velha remained a quiet town until quite recently; the 1828 census, for example, showed only 1,250 people in the town. Today, however, Vila Velha is the biggest city in the entire state of Espírito Santo, and has approximately 500,000 inhabitants.

The nickname Green Shins given to people from Vila Velha originated from the green algae that stuck to the legs of sailors returning from shore to Coutinho's ship in 1535.^[2]

External links

• History of Vila Velha (in Portuguese)
• History of Ponta da Fruta Vila Velha (in Portuguese)

References

v t e Municipalities of Espírito Santo Capital: Vitória Mesoregion Central Afonso Cláudio Afonso Cláudio Brejetuba Conceição do Castelo Domingos Martins Laranja da Terra Marechal Floriano Venda Nova do Imigrante Guarapari Alfredo Chaves Anchieta Guarapari Iconha Piúma Rio Novo do Sul Santa Teresa Itaguaçu Itarana Santa Leopoldina Santa Maria do Jetibá Santa Teresa São Roque do Canaã Vitória Cariacica Serra Viana Vila Velha Vitória Mesoregion Litoral Norte Linhares Aracruz Fundão Ibiraçu João Neiva Linhares Rio Bananal Sooretama Montanha Montanha Mucurici Pinheiros Ponto Belo São Mateus Conceição da Barra Jaguaré Pedro Canário São Mateus Mesoregion Noroeste Barra de São Francisco Água Doce do Norte Barra de São Francisco Ecoporanga Mantenópolis Colatina Alto Rio Novo Baixo Guandu Colatina Governador Lindenberg Marilândia Pancas São Domingos do Norte Nova Venécia Águia Branca Boa Esperança Nova Venécia São Gabriel da Palha Vila Pavão Vila Valério Mesoregion Sul Alegre Alegre Divino de São Lourenço Dores do Rio Preto Guaçuí Ibatiba Ibitirama Irupi Iúna Muniz Freire Cachoeiro de Itapemirim Apiacá Atilio Vivacqua Bom Jesus do Norte Cachoeiro de Itapemirim Castelo Jerônimo Monteiro Mimoso do Sul Muqui São José do Calçado Vargem Alta Itapemirim Itapemirim Marataízes Presidente Kennedy