Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
cities in Brazil. It served as
the capital of Sergipe in the
17th and 18th centuries, but
when the capital shifted to
Aracaju, it soon dwindled to
the sleepy interior town it is
today. Its change in status,
however, was the reason
why many of São Cristóvão's
churches and colonial
buildings were spared the
pressures of modern develop-
ment, and still survive intact.
The town's charming
historic center is a panoply of
colonial squares and build-
ings, and is also a hub of
commerce. The most beauti-
fully preserved square,
Praça
de São Francisco
, is easily
identified by the large
Franciscan cross at its center.
Flanking the square are
the Santa Casa Hospital,
the former Governor's
Palace, and the
Convento de São
Francisco, which now
houses the
Museu de
Arte Sacra
(Museum
of Sacred Art). The
museum has a fine
collection of silver
chalices and
crosses, and a few
beautifully sculpted
statues of saints. The ceiling
of the convent chapel was
painted by the Bahian artist,
José Teófilo de Jesus (1758-
1847). The annual Festival
de Arte de São Cristóvão
hosts popular art and music.
E
Museu de Arte Sacra
Praça de São Francisco.
Tel
(079)
3261 1385.
#
9:30am-5pm Tue-
Fri, 9am-5pm Sat & Sun.
&
The wide boulevards of Sergipe's capital, Aracaju
Aracaju
1
Sergipe.
*
492,000.
~
n
Centro de Turismo, (079) 3179
7553.
_
Festa de São João (Jan),
Forró Caju Music Festival (Jun), Festa
de Yemanjá (Dec).
Environs
Aracaju's lively beach
neighborhoods lie 6 to 12
miles (10 to 20 km) south of
the city center. The most
popular suburban beach is
Atalaia
, with sports and
recreation facilities,
stages for cultural
events, as well as
good seafood joints.
The other favorite is
Praia Atalaia Nova
, on
the Ilha de Santa Luzia,
an island just off the
coast. It is accessible
by boat from the
ferry station in the
city center.
Sergipe's original capital was
São Cristóvão, located inland
from the Atlantic Ocean. A
burgeoning trade in sugar,
however, made a sizable port
necessary, and in 1855, the
capital transferred to Aracaju,
situated at the mouth of the
Rio Sergipe. By 1901, the
sleepy fishing village soon
transformed into a stately
capital, with a horse-drawn
street-car and a movie theater.
Today, Aracaju is a small
city with a commercial down-
town area along the south
riverbank. Sea-life enthusiasts
visit
Oceanário
with its models
of various marine habitats.
Oceanário
Av Santos Dumont.
Tel
(079) 3243
3214.
#
2-8pm Tue-Fri, 9am-9pm
Sat & Sun.
&
Detail from Convento
de São Francisco, São
Cristóvão
São Cristóvão
2
Sergipe.
*
73,000.
@
from
Aracaju.
n
Centro de Turismo, (079)
3214 8848.
_
Festival de Arte de
São Cristóvão (Oct).
A designated National Historic
Heritage Site, São Cristóvão
was founded in 1590, and is
considered one of the oldest
Franciscan cross in front of Convento de São Francisco in São Cristóvão
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp378-9 and pp403-405
