Praia do Cassino
(
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Por ...
for ''Casino Beach'') is the world's longest sea beach and is located in the southernmost of the
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
ian coast (), on the
South Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
, in the
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul (, , ; "Great River of the South") is a state in the southern region of Brazil. It is the fifth-most-populous state and the ninth largest by area. Located in the southernmost part of the country, Rio Grande do Sul is border ...
state. It is the longest uninterrupted sandy seashore in the world, with various sources measuring it from
to ,
stretching from the ''Molhes'' (
breakwaters) at the entrance of the
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( and ), known in Mexico as the Río Bravo del Norte or simply the Río Bravo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the southwestern United States and in northern Mexico.
The length of the Rio G ...
seaport in the north to the mouth of the
Chuí Stream
The Chuí, or Chuy'', ''Stream (Portuguese: ''Arroio Chuí'' , Rioplatense Spanish: ''Arroyo Chuy'' or ), is a short stream on the Brazilian–Uruguayan border that is celebrated as Brazil's southernmost point.
Geography
The Chui rises in a sm ...
, on the border with
Uruguay
Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, in the south.
Etymology
The word Cassino comes from the Portuguese word ''Cassino'' which means Casino in English. The beach is named Casino Beach as tourists used to gamble in luxury hotels situated at the beach area.
History
Cassino Beach is known as the oldest spa in Brazil, dating back to 1890. The beach was developed by the Suburban Mangueira Company as a tourist destination. The director of the company, Antonio Condido Sequeira, and the investors of the company acquired the land in the beach area with the help of the state government and built a tourist complex on January 26, 1890. Later this tourist center became very popular and big companies started investing here. At the time, Brazilians of
German,
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Por ...
, and
Italian descent often came to the beach to enjoy the sea in expensive hotels. The persecution of Italians and Germans during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
and the ban on
roulette
Roulette is a casino game named after the French word meaning ''little wheel'' which was likely developed from the Italian game Biribi''.'' In the game, a player may choose to place a bet on a single number, various groupings of numbers, th ...
in 1948 had a devastating effect on the region's economy. However, in recent times Praia do Cassino have been able to attract tourists to the beach.
On Nov. 12, 1966, during a total solar eclipse visible in Praia do Cassino,
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding ...
scientists and U.S. Army have launched several rockets to study upper atmosphere.
The Praia do Casino was recognized as the world's longest beach by
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
in 1994.
The largest beach ultramarathon race in the world is held on this beach, the Cassino Ultra Race, a long-distance race that consists of traveling a distance of 230 km through the sand, although it can also be run in the 73K and 135K modality. It begins at Barra del Chuí Beach and ends at Cassino Beach.
Tourism
Around 150,000 tourists visit Praia do Cassino every year. During the summer season, especially from December to January, the number of tourists visiting this place increases. Tourists can be seen participating in various activities including swimming and surfing. This beach is home to the largest number of seals in the world. Many tourists visit these seals by boat.
Tourist attractions
West Jetty
At the extreme point of the beach, a
jetty
A jetty is a structure that projects from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French word ', "thrown", signifying some ...
was built with tons of stones that invade the open sea. Its formation, along with the Molhe Leste, on the other side of the navigation channel, protects the entry and exit of ships to the Rio Grande. At Molhe Oeste it is possible to take a cart, powered by sail, which slowly slides along the tracks into the ocean until it reaches the lighthouse tower. The trip takes about 20 minutes and covers a length of 4.3 kilometers. On the way you can still be lucky enough to see
dolphins
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (t ...
and grebes.
The resort has a carnival that brings together hundreds of people, with several carnival groups brightening up this resort-neighborhood.
Stranded ship
Sixteen kilometers from the center of the Casino towards
Chuí, the ship ''Altair'' has been stranded on the edge of the beach since June 1976, after facing a strong storm.
Yemanja statue
This sculpture is located in front of the sea at the entrance to Rio Grande Avenue. The artist was Rio-Grandio Erico Gobbi who made this sculpture with cement.
Gallery
Riacho na praia do cassino - panoramio.jpg, Beach area
Praia do Cassino - Peregrinos.jpg, Tourists in the beach area
Praia do Cassino - Pescadores.jpg, Boat transport vehicles
Churrasco na Praia do cassino - panoramio.jpg, Barbecue at Cassino
File:Navio Altair, encalhado na Praia do Cassino.jpg, Altair ship
References
External links
Website of City Hall, Rio Grande
Rio Grande do Sul Secretariat of Tourism
{{commons category
Landforms of Rio Grande do Sul
Beaches of Brazil
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