The Sun Rises on Olinda

The Sun Rises on Olinda


A spontaneous day-trip turned into a unique glimpse of Brazil’s colonial past when I jumped into a car with friends to visit the historic sector of Olinda. Winding cobblestone streets guided me through endless alleyways painted in brilliant reds, greens, and blues, each turn revealing a new melange of flamboyant colors.  A modern day elevator at the highest point of the city also provided a stunning view of the Catedral Alto da Sé and the urban skyline of Recife.



The 16th and 17th century marked Olinda’s heyday, as the French, Dutch, and Portuguese all fought to control the thriving sugar-cane fields in the fertile coastal area. In 1537, the Portuguese founded Olinda, gaining control of an area rich in sugar cane export. It was the same year that Pope Paul III issued the historic papal bull declaring slavery an act of satan-- but Olinda continued to thrive, with an industry that depended almost entirely on slave labor.  



Olinda’s prime came and went; the commercial hub that once was, has since moved 8 kilometers south, and is now the city of Recife, Brazil’s 5th largest metropolitan area.  The strong design of Recife’s civic lay-out is actually thanks to the Dutch, who occupied the area  from 1630-1654 when conflicts with Spain weakened Portuguese rule abroad.



Although the city’s commercial peak is in the past, Olinda remains unique today as one of the best destinations to celebrate Brazil’s world-renowned Carnaval.   Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo boast the largest crowds and hold the most publicized competitions between rival samba schools, but Olinda breaks free from the competitive spirit and allows anyone and everyone to wear costumes and dance through the streets.  Olinda's is now one of Brazil's eighteen UNESCO World Heritage sites, recognized in 1982.


One more unique fact about Olinda-- the city lies only 5" 22' to the west of Ponta do Seixas, the easternmost city in Brazil.  This makes Olinda one of the first cities in all of continental America to see the morning sun.  I personally didn’t see the sun rise in Olinda, but I can imagine that the fingers of dawn make the colors jump right off the walls.


    Kerren McKeeman
    May, 2012