Rio Grande do Sul - Jesuit Missions
Soon after the early stages of the conquest of South America, the governments of Spain and Portugal originated the missionary project, whereby religious orders had the task of furthering the development and integration of indigenous peoples. In the sixteenth century, conflicts arose between Portuguese colonisers and the Jesuit missions established between the Paraná and Uruguay rivers. Often violent, these conflicts led to a move of the missions to the Tape region on the left bank of the Uruguay river, in what is now the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in the years following the end of the seventeenth century.

The "Theocratic State of the Jesuits", embracing 30 tribes, was granted a charter by the Spanish crown and was governed by its own rules of justice, administration and relations with neighbouring peoples. The settlements, seven of which are today situated in Brazil, eight in Paraguay and fifteen in Argentina, had an autonomous system of territorial organization and strict principles for urban development on a linear pattern. Architecture reached a golden phase in its development between 1735 and 1750, when Spain and Portugal defined new territorial boundaries for their colonies in the Treaty of Madrid. After this period, the missionary project entered into a long decline.

The central rectangular square of a settlement contained the church, the college of the Jesuit fathers and various outbuildings on one side, and the houses of the Indian families on the other. The houses, built in rows, had large verandas. The buildings were constructed largely of stone and wood, and have not resisted the attacks of time and periodic fires. A large part of the architectural heritage of the missions has been lost, but important archaeological sites remain today, including the foundations and massive sections of gritstone masonry, and a rich store of objects and utensils.

Listed by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, the ruins of the mother church of São Miguel are the main symbol in Brazil of the missionary civilisation. Designed by the Jesuit priest and architect João Batista Promoli, the church is an example of the baroque architecture of the missionaries, inspired by Renaissance rules established by Vignola for the Gesu church in Rome. The largest piece of religious architecture in the Jesuit settlements, it still possesses the remains of walls, partitions, vaults, facade and bell tower, and, as an important world heritage site, has been preserved and restored by the Ministry of Culture. Next to it is the Museum of Missões, where objects of art and architecture are on display and there is a reconstruction of the settlement and the Indian houses by the architect Lucio Costa.

by José Albano Volkmer

Agriculture in Rio Grande do Sul
Waves of immigrants began to arrive in Rio Grand do Sul. First came the Germans who established themselves in the Vale do Rio dos Sinos, close to Porto Alegre, the state capital; then came the Italians who headed towards the mountain ridges and the towns of Caxias do Sul, Flores da Cunha, Bento Gonçalves and Garibaldi where they planted vines and started producing wine. Nowadays this region, which provided the setting for the film, "O Quatrilho" by Fábio Barreto, that competed for an Oscar for the best foreign film of 1995, is Brazil's largest producer of wine. According to information from the Rio Grande do Sul wine co-operatives, the state produces and markets 91% of Brazil's wine production.

For a long time the economy was based on production by large beef cattle farms, but later became diversified with the arrival of the German and Italian immigrants who settled in rural smallholdings and supplied Rio Grande do Sul and other states with agricultural products.

Until the present time, Gaúcho agriculture has been based on rural smallholdings so that the state became known as the granary of Brazil, responsible for 25% of the country's grain production, mainly in the form of soya, wheat, rice and maize. According to the Brazilian Geographical and Statistical Institute (IBGE), Rio Grande do Sul provides 48% of the country's rice, 76% of oats and 48% of tobacco. Research undertaken by the UN has revealed that Rio Grande do Sul is currently the Brazilian state with the best Human Development Index according to per capita income indicators, school attendance and life expectancy.

With a flock numbering 13.9 million head of cattle and 10 million head of sheep, the state is also a major meat producer. Its beef - with which the Gaúchos make the best barbecues in the world - is acclaimed both in Brazil and abroad. The leather and shoe industries are spin-offs from cattle production and together with the metal, chemical and petrochemical industries, occupy an important position within the state. Also, in connection with the petrochemical industry, the state is planning a major investment in the duplication of the Triunfo region and the Alberto Pasqualini refinery in Canoas.

The habit of taking chimarrão (a herb tea drunk from a gourd), the wearing of wide-legged trousers (a type of national costume), cooking on an earth barbecue and incorporating Castilian Spanish expressions in the dialect are some of the features that characterize the Gaucho, particularly those who were born and brought up in the pampas, the plains that form one of the most striking landscapes in the region. As well as the plains, other Gaúcho landscapes can be seen by anyone crossing this state, the gateway between Brazil and her southern neighbours, Uruguay and Argentina. Among the places of interest are the beaches, the National Park of Aparados da Serra, the highlands region and towns such as Pelotas, with its 19th century art nouveau buildings and legacies from the past, such as wrought-iron structures scattered around the town and left by the English at the beginning of the century.

Pampas and Gauchos
Rio Grande do Sul is the area of the pampas region that is most influenced by the Gaúchos; the plains that cover a large part of the state are the cradle of some of its most powerful traditions. Strongly influenced by its neighbours in the River Plate area - especially Argentina and Uruguay - is the custom of chimarrão (herb tea drunk out of a gourd through a silver tube), the wearing of wide-legged trousers (typical costume with wide jodhpurs), the cooking of a barbecue on the ground (a Gaucho barbecue is prepared using all the parts of the animal - thin steaks, ribs, etc., that take hours to roast on a fire lit in the earth) and the incorporation into the dialect of the "tche" sound and Castilian Spanish expressions.

Brazilian Footwear
In the last four decades, Brazil has played a relevant role in the Footwear History. The largest country in Latin America is one of the most outstanding manufacturers of leather articles, holding the third position in the ranking of the largest world producers, and having as well important participation in the share of women’s shoes, which combine quality and accessible prices. The shipments abroad have been growing yearly, to over a hundred countries.

The Brazilian footwear producing centers are located in different states of the country. Production decentralization allows Brazil to produce all types of shoes according to the characteristics of the producing region. They can be women’s shoes, men’s shoes, children’s shoes and safety shoes, among others. Currently, Brazil has a footwear park made up of about seven thousand five hundred industries, which produce 700 million pairs a year and employ four hundred thousand people.

One of these Producing Centers is in Vale do Sinos, state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS). It is the largest footwear cluster in the world. It is located near Porto Alegre, capital of the State of Rio Grande do Sul and comprises 26 municipalities, whose major footwear manufacturers are Novo Hamburgo, Campo Bom, Parobé, Igrejinha, and Sapiranga. In this region, which also includes the Paranhana and the Caí valleys, the technical education institutions, and the research and technical assistance centers of Rio Grande do Sul are concentrated. It also includes around 60% of the components industry, and 80% of the Brazilian leather and footwear machinery industry.
Vale dos Sinos specializes in the manufacture of women’s leather shoes, but it is also important in the manufacture of footwear produced with alternative materials, such as synthetic and injected footwear. It is also the most important exporting center, which concentrates the largest enterprises in the country.

São Domingos Torres Golf Clube
It is located on the western side of the city of Torres, about 3 km away from the city center and can be reached both by river and by road. If reached by river, you can anchor the boat or jet ski at the Club's marina. If accessed by land, there is plenty of space for parking.

The course has limits all along the right hand side from the tee number one, with the Mampituba river which rises by Serra do Mar meandering its way about 18 km until flowing into the sea and serving as a border between the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul where the club is located.

The Mampituba River is approximately 20 meters wide and not very deep enabling sailing only of shallow draught boats but very beautiful to sail especially near the spring. Playing golf with a river in the background is a unique and very pleasant experience.

São Domingos Torres Golf Clube offers driving range, pitting green, snack bar, restaurant, golf carts and equipments for hire. It has 9 holes, par 68 and 4912 yards. It is open 8h00 till 17h00 mondays through sundays.
The average temperature is 22oC and the golf course is on the sea level.

Location:
Estrada da Salina, 1000 - Torres
Phone: (51) 3168-4366

Belem Novo Golf Club
This absolutely beautiful 18-hole golf course is extremely technical with many lakes and is located on a very flat landscape; pine trees, araças and acacias separate the fairways.

Many lakes offer challenge and beauty to this course. Hares, coypuses, lapwings and ducklings are part of the fauna that can often be seen on the golf course.

Tourists visiting Porto Alegre are welcome to the course where they can play golf upon payment of a green-fee. The city of Porto Alegre has many hotels to serve the golfer.

Belem Novo Golf Club offers driving range, putting gren, snack bar, restaurant, golf carts and equipments for hire. It has 18 holes, par 72 and 6969 yards. It is open 7h00 till 19h00 tuesdays through sundays.
The average temperature is 19oC and the golf course is 10 m over the sea level.

Location:
Estrada Juca Batista, 8000
Phone: (51) 3264-0144

Clube Campestre do Livramento
One of the first golf clubs in Brazil, Campestre do Livramento Club was founded in 1917, and became known by this name on 28 January 1959.

The nine holes with a profusion of trees and flowers are absolutely lovely. At the club, as well as the golf course, there are two paddle courts, four tennis courts, a bowling green and swimming pools.

Clube Campestre do Livramento offers driving range, putting green, snack bar, restaurant, pro-shop and equipments for hite. It has 9 holes, par 71 and 6094 yards. It is open 8h00 till 19h00 tuesdays through sundays.
The average temperature is 20oC and the golf course is on sea level.

Location:
Rua Basilicio Vasconcelos, s/no
Santana do Livramento
Phone: (55) 3168-4366

Golf - Driving Ranges
Brazil already has many golf academies mainly in the big cities (driving ranges with or without putting and pitching greens) enabling golfers visiting the cities on business or as tourists to keep their game up to date.

In Porto Alegre:
* Patrick Caussin Golf Academy
Address: Av. Juca Batista, 8000 - Condominio Terraville, district of Belem Novo
Phone/fax: 51) 3264-2022