Santo Amaro, also known as Santo Amaro da Purificação (), is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

in the state of

Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

. The population is 60,131 (2020 est.) in an area of . It is located in the

metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...

of Salvador. Santo Amaro is located approximately from the city of Salvador. Santo Amaro was home to numerous indigenous peoples until the arrival of the Portuguese, who developed the region for sugarcane production. Santo Amaro is now noted for its numerous historic structures. The city is also a center of Candomblé, having more than 60 ''terreiros'', or temples of the religion.

History

Santo Amaro was home to Caeté, Pitiguaras, and Carijós peoples prior to the Portuguese colonization of Brazil. The region became an early center of sugarcane production under the Portuguese, with settlements primarily along the Subaé River. It, along with Cachoeira and Nazaré, became early regional urban and economic centers of the Recôncavo region. Santo Amaro was part of the municipality of São Francisco do Conde until 1727. The city has numerous historic structures as a result of its colonial past, most notably the Parish Church of Our Lady of Purification (''Igreja Matriz Santo Amaro da Purificação''). Other historic structures include the remains of the mansions of former sugar barons and a municipal palace built in 1769. The area is noted for its nearby beaches, the Falls of Vitória, and the grotto of Bom Jesus dos Pobres. The town features prominently in the novel '' The War of the Saints'' by

Jorge Amado Jorge Amado ( 10 August 1912 – 6 August 2001) was a Brazilian writer of the modernist school. He remains the best-known of modern Brazilian writers, with his work having been translated into some 49 languages and popularized in film, includi ...

Epidemic of 1855

A cholera epidemic occurred in 1855, killing approximately 50,000 in Santo Amaro and in Salvador. Half of the population of Santo Amaro was lost. Doctor Cypriano Barbosa Bettâmio died leading efforts to combat the disease.

Geography

Santo Amaro covers and borders the municipalities of Conceição do Jacuípe, Amélia Rodrigues, Feira de Santana, São Sebastião do Passé, São Francisco do Conde, Saubara, Cachoeira, and

São Gonçalo dos Campos São Gonçalo dos Campos is a municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and de ...

Subaé River

The Subaé River runs through much of the municipality to the Bay of All Saints. Scientists discovered large-scale lead, cadmium, and zinc pollution in the river in 1975, caused by industrial output from a factory owned by the Brazilian Lead Company (Cobrac). The factory operated from 1960 to 1993, but high levels of lead exposure remain among many segments of the population of the municipality.

Religion

According to the Brazilian Census of 2010, Santo Amaro is 77% Roman Catholic, 22% Evangelical, and 1% Spiritist. The statistics do not take into account Candomblé practitioners. Santo Amaro has both a large number of Candomblé terreiros (60) and a long tradition of religious syncretism between Candomblé and Roman Catholicism.

Historic structures

Santo Amaro is home to numerous colonial-period historic structures, many designated as Brazilian national and Bahian state monuments. * Church of Our Lady of Protection (''Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Amparo'') * Parish Church of Our Lady of Purification (''Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Purificação'') * Retreat and Church of Our Lady of Humility (''Recolhimento e Igreja de Nossa Senhora dos Humildes'') * Town Hall and Prison (''Casa de Câmara e Cadeia'') * Santa Casa de Misericórdia of Santo Amaro * Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Oliveira dos Campinhos *

Solar do Conde de Subaé Solar may refer to: Astronomy * Of or relating to the Sun ** Solar telescope, a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun ** A device that utilizes solar energy (e.g. "solar panels") ** Solar calendar, a calendar whose dates indicate t ...

* Solar Paraíso * House at Rua da Matriz, no. 9 (''Sobrado à Rua da Purificação, nº 9'') * Bembé do Mercado

Notable residents

* Siblings

Caetano Veloso Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso (; born 7 August 1942) is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicália, which encompas ...

(1942-) and Maria Bethânia (1946-), both singers and songwriters, were born in Santo Amaro and lived there until moving to Rio de Janeiro at the ages of 13 and 17 respectively.

References

{{Authority control Populated coastal places in Bahia Former Portuguese colonies Municipalities in Bahia Santo Amaro, Bahia