A historical tour of Brotas

Let's enjoy a historical tour of Brotas?

It's no news that we are known as the Adventure Capital. But the town also has important history, such as its growth during the coffee era, its pioneering role in electricity and many other facts few people know.

Just to spark your curiosity: did you know Brotas almost became the capital of São Paulo state? That's right, a bill was even voted on in the Legislative Assembly, but it wasn't approved. This is just one of the curiosities about our town's history.

Just sit on a bench in the square, meet one of the older locals and strike up a good conversation. You'll hear lots of tales, anecdotes and much about the history of Brotas.

And to learn more about the whole journey of the Adventure Capital, there's nothing better than seeing it up close. A historical tour of Brotas is like going back in time to feel what life was like back then.

Tips for a historical tour of Brotas

Largo da Santa Cruz and the Machine House – Where “it all began”, at one of the town's entrances, is the Santa Cruz Chapel. Here you can understand the architecture of the time by looking at the buildings. Apart from a few that have been renovated, most still keep the features of the time they were built.

Near the square is Parque dos Saltos, home to one of the oldest buildings: the Machine House. This was the power plant of the old Companhia Força e Luz de Brotas, which generated electricity for the town even before the city of São Paulo! That was in 1911. It was shut down around 1970, and today only the building remains, recently restored and open to visitors. From there you get an amazing view of the Parque dos Saltos falls, the largest falls on the Jacaré Pepira River.

Coffee Museum – Cultural Center – Another curiosity about Brotas: it used to be a “coffee” town. That era was marked by the arrival of Italian immigrants, who worked on the coffee plantations.

Its exhibition aims to show the town's origins, highlighting the coffee period, the main driver of local urban and social development. There you can learn more about that time; it's one of the options for a lovely historical tour of Brotas. It is right downtown, near Praça Amador Simões and Escola Francisca, two landmarks of Brotas history.

A bit of Brotas history and culture at Cine São José and the Railway Station

Part of the history also involves Cine São José. Its first home was on Avenida Rui Barbosa, and it was called “Cine Avenida”. Its new name honored the patron saint of the former owner's family. By coincidence, all later owners had José in their names.

Years later, it moved to Praça Amador Simões and was sold soon after. Today Cine São José belongs to the renowned singer Daniel, who bought and restored the building, preserving its richly detailed architecture and giving the town this amazing attraction. It's a great tip for a historical tour of Brotas.

Railway Station – The Brotas Railway Station keeps its original architecture and is a place of pure nostalgia for railway lovers. For many decades, passengers arrived in Brotas on trains from big cities and towns across the region. It is also a piece of Brotas history. To add to the nostalgia, the street leading to the station is cobblestoned, just like last century.

See more of the town's history (opens in a new tab).

These places are open to the public and free, except for film screenings (of course).