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http://www.aiesec.org.br/santamaria

Located in the central region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and surrounded by sierra mountains, Santa Maria is known as "The Heart of the Rio Grande." Located 290 km from Porto Alegre, is a city with easy access and direct road link with the main points of the state.

Composed by a main domain and nine counties, the population is around 266 thousand inhabitants more a floating population of approximately 30 thousand people, mainly formed by students seeking secondary education, technical education and university, besides military that make our city the second largest contingent in Brazil.

Main commercial and service centre in the region, Santa Maria, in addition to purchases, offers many attractions for the visitors: monuments, cultural and religious events and many natural beauties, still has excellent infrastructure in tourist services.

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a love storyThey tell the legend about a very beautiful indian girl who lived in a Minuano tribe. Her name, Imembui, means the one saved from waters, because she was born when his mother, the indian Yboquitã, bath up in the waters of a river. Imembui was a very sweet young and admired by all of her tribe. A girl who lighted interest of young indians from neighboring tribes.

At that time, a group of bandeirantes (mercenaries paid to explore the wild country) that were returning from a colony in Sacramento, probably in the second half of the seventeenth century, to take provisions to a portuguese fortress spotted the village of Minuanos and thought they were an easy prey because the bandeirantes only saw a herd of horses, grazing peacefully.

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a love storyThe bandeirantes used to seize Indians, enslave them and take them to Sao Paulo to work in ploughing. They attacked the village.

Meanwhile, surprising mistake: in each horse, a warrior hid in the hidden side of the mount. The minuanos, advised by his scouts about the incoming danger, prepared a defense and killed the attackers. Those who were not killed, fled or were taken prisoners.

A portuguese bandeirante called Rodrigo, who was among the prisoners, was also sentenced to death. The prisoner started to play a song on his guitar and to sing the nostalgia of his land and the sad fate that led to a painful end. It was a brave and sympathetic young man. Imembui, listening to his crying...

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a love story...and admiring that beautiful face, approached herself to him. Her heart fell in love with Rodrigo and, knowing about his fate, she went to her father Apacani to keep Rodrigo alive.

Apacani, the leader of the tribe, didn't deny his daughter's supplication and letf Rodrigo live with the Minuano. It was performed the marriage of Imembuí and Rodrigo, in large parties, according to the indigenous ritual. From there on, Rodrigo changed his name to Morotin.

According to this legend, Santa Maria had its origin in the love that united an indian with a white man on the banks of Itaimbé river, which today is channelled under the paving of the Itaimbé Park.

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foundationIn the beginning, there were the Guarani Indians and the armies of missionaries. The researchers tell that the history of Santa Maria began with a camp. In 1787, the missions responsible for the demarcation of boundaries between the areas of Spain and Portugal already visited the land where the city of Santa Maria would arise. the camp became a village, where today is the squa re Sa ldanha Marinho. The mission became known as Camp Santa Maria da Boca do Monte (Santa Maria Mouth of the Mountain).

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ethnicSanta Maria constituted by people of various ethnic descendants. The Germans and the Italians have strong influence in the initial development of the city. Along with them, portugueses, polish, blacks, jews and syrian-lebanese have decisive participation in the ethnic culture.

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prehistorySanta Maria is one of the most important archaeological sites of the triassic period of the world. Several kinds of dinosaurs were discovered in the region, among them the Staurikosaurus pricei, oldest fossil of dinosaur ever found. The region is also rich in fossil plants, about 200 million years. In museums and outcrops of the city you can see a large number of t race fossils

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historyFew places have a historical experience so committed to each time lived. Santa Maria is highlighted by its historical cultural heritage formed by buildings, homes and religious temples. The "Mancha Ferroviária" is composed by Gare Railway Station, Belgian Town (first set of housing blocks in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) and Manoel Ribas School.The city has a variety of collections describing the visit, observation, exploration and memory of Santa Maria and state by more than 8 museums.

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natureConsidered as the city that holds the Southern Portal of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, Santa Maria, therefore, is a city suited for the development of ecotourism and adventure tourism. In its northern territory is the Rebordo of Sierra General. Its geography presents hills, mountains, valleys, waterfalls, and its hydrography is composed of the rivers Vacacaí and Vacacaí Mirim.

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religiosityEach year that passes, Santa Maria focuses on the religious tourism. We emphasize the Festival of Medianeira, the Shrine of Schoenstatt, the Deacon João Luiz Pozzobon (now in the process of canonization), and evangelical movements, mormons, spiritists, afrobrazilian, buddhist, jewish, islamic, among other. Santa Maria is a city that welcomes different religious manifestations.

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educationCenter of education for excellence, the city includes 7 institutions of higher education, bringing together more than 198 courses of graduation, post-graduate (specialization, master's and doctoral) and technical courses with more than 40 thousand students standing in the city.

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gastronomyThe cuisine of Santa Maria reserves good and delicious surprises. Italian, German, Portuguese and gaucha cooking, the traditional galeto and delicious snacks fill the menu of many cafes, restaurants and churrascarias city offers.

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