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Natal Brazil Culture: Be Inspired By the Rich History of Natal

The atmosphere of Natal Brazil culture is unlike any other city you’ve visited before! Natal history began in 1599 on Christmas day, which is why it was named after the Portuguese word for ‘Christmas’. It was a originally a town outside of a colonial fort, and for many years, Natal was home to African slaves brought over to Brazil by the French.

It wasn’t until 1940 that Natal gained notice during the Second World War, when the United States entered the war against the Axis powers, and decided to use Natal as an air and communications base. Since then, Natal has continued to grow in beauty and stability as a city, with a proud people who honor their forefathers that helped to make a difference in the world during the fight for freedom.

One piece of architecture from Natal history you shouldn’t neglect when searching for Natal Brazil Culture is to visit is the Forte de Reis Magos, and old fort sitting on a spit of land out in the water. At high tide, the bottom 3 feet of the fort is submerged, but inside the fort there is a small museum display on the famous explorer Vasco de Gama. The fort itself was occupied by Dutch forces between 1633 and 1654, making this a significant piece of Natal Brazil culture and history.

Another Natal museum you can’t miss is the Museu Camara Cascudo! This museum celebrates the history of the entire state of Rio Grande do Norte, and contains a wide assortment of interactive displays and rafts made by locals hundreds of years ago! There are also reproductions of some of the area’s prominent archaeological sites, as well as a cave that you can enter to learn how archaeologists actually do their work.

Natal’s main theatre is located on the Praca Augusto Severo, and it’s a lovely old building with 19th century architecture and great acoustics! It has a reputation as one of the best theatres in the entire country, and is definitely worth a visit if you can get seats to a show!

In terms of religious structures of Natal Brazil Culture, the Catedral Nova Cicade on Av. Marechal Deodoro Centro is a sight to behold! It was begun over 30 years ago, and yet still construction hasn’t yet been completed. As the largest Catholic church in Natal, its impressive architecture and decoration is enough to put awe into any visitor to this lovingly crafted church.

Natal Brazil culture has a diversity that has to be seen to be believed… because not only does it contain many historical buildings and museums, but the city is also home to the World’s Largest Cashew Tree! The tree itself is a piece of city history, planted in 1888 by a local fisherman, eventually growing to a size 70 times larger than traditional cashew trees – its circumference is 500 meters around!

When traveling to Natal Brazil culture and history will confront you at every corner of the city – in the places mentioned here, as well as in the knowledge and openness of the people for their history. Their passion for Natal is infectious, and you’d be doing yourself a genuine favor by letting yourself visit these museums and historical sites and learning more about the vibrant city of Natal, Brazil.

 



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Pictures from Martin Phillip Fjellanger