Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
9
Brief history
Ironically, the region was originally granted to French royalty: François d'Orléans, aka
the
Prince of Joinville
and the son of Louis-Philippe of France, was ceded the area as a
dowry for marrying the Emperor Dom Pedro II's sister in 1843. However, there's little
evidence the prince ever came here (he spent most of his life in Europe), and he sold
the land in 1851 to German senator Mathias Schröder, head of a Hamburg-based
colonization society. Soon after, 118 German and Swiss immigrants arrived, followed
by 74 Norwegians, to exploit the fifty square kilometres of virgin forest, stake out
homesteads and establish the “Colônia Dona Francisca” - soon known as Joinville.
From 1852 to 1888, Joinville absorbed 17,000 more German immigrants, developing
from an agricultural backwater into the state's foremost industrial city (GM opened a
massive car factory here in 2012). Today little remains of these Germanic roots -
Joinville is a thoroughly Brazilian city, albeit with a handful of German-style buildings
and bakeries, and a smattering of blue-eyed, blond-haired citizens.
Museu Nacional de Imigração e Colonização
Rua Rio Branco 229 • Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun noon-6pm • Free •
T
47 3433 3736
Joinville's premier historic site is the
Museu Nacional de Imigração e Colonização
, a
grand 1870 mansion built for the Prince of Joinville - though the hapless French royal
claimant never lived here (whatever you might be told). The three floors of the main
building feature rooms decked out with period furniture and a collection of antique
musical instruments, but the museum's most interesting features lie in the garden
behind the main building. A replica of an old barn contains an impressive collection
of historic carriages (some of which resemble American nineteenth-century wagons),
while the typical nineteenth-century
enxaimel
farmhouse opposite contains more
humble period furnishings and a workshop full of antique tools at the back.
Museu Arqueológico de Sambaqui
Rua Dona Francisca 600 • Tues-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat & Sun noon-6pm • Free •
T
47 3433 0114
If you've more than a passing interest in Joinville's history, make time for the superbly
organized
Museu Arqueológico de Sambaqui
, where exhibits throw light on the
prehistoric cultures of the region and the numerous shell middens (
sambaqui
) that
litter the coast.
Cemitério do Imigrante
Rua XV de Novembro 978 • Casa da Memória Mon-Fri 8.30am-noon & 2-5pm • Free •
T
47 3433 5598
Around twenty minutes' walk from the centre, the crumbling
Cemitério do Imigrante
is
the atmospheric resting place of many of Joinville's pioneer settlers. Founded in 1851
and covering a hillside from which there are fine views of the city, the cemetery is
protected as a national monument (though in dire need of restoration). The tombs and
headstones serve as testimony to Joinville's Lutheran origins - some three thousand
Protestants are thought to have been buried here between 1851 and 1937. The small
DANCING JOINVILLE
Every July Joinville is host to the
Festival de Dança de Joinville
(Joinville Dance Festival;
W
festivaldedanca.com.br), which is reputed to be the world's largest dance event. Some 5000
dancers take part, over two weeks, with exhibitions, shows, competitions and street dancing.
Not coincidentally, Joinville is the only city outside of Moscow to have a school of the
Bolshoi Ballet
, the renowned Russian ballet company (
W
escolabolshoi.com.br); established
here in 2000, the Bolshoi had been inspired by attending the dance festival in the 1990s. You
can visit the school for tours (Mon-Fri 10.30am & 2.30pm; R$4), and on Saturdays and Sundays
(9am-5pm; free) the school is usually open to the public. Call in advance to confirm (
T
47 3422
4070), but note that it's unlikely anyone will speak English.
