The History of Florianopolis

Florianopolis is a popular tourist destination — a natural result of its beautiful 40-km stretch of beaches, its strong economic infrastructure, and the overall friendly environment that seems to surround the whole city. “Floripa” (as it is called) is an excellent destination for travelers seeking business, leisure, extreme sports, or even a relaxing family vacation! To understand the development of Florianopolis, it helps to take a step back and dive into the history books that describe its economic prosperity, European migration and exponential population growth!

Originally inhabited by the indigenous people of Tupi-Guarani, Florianopolis was not colonized until the early 1500s. It was the Portuguese who landed in 1514, and labeled the region as Ilha dos Patos, later to be renamed in 1526 as Ilha de Santa Catarina or Santa Catarina Island. During this time Florianopolis was a port area, serving vessels on their way to Bracia do Prata or the River Plate Basin en route to Uruguay and Argentina.

Hercilio Luz Bridge, Florianopolis in 1935

Throughout the latter half of the 1600s, companies brought development to Santa Catarina Island and a village began to form. The early 1700s saw the Portuguese Crown officially designate Santa Catarina Island as a distinguishable village, and officially changed its name to Vila do Dosterro (later Florianopolis).

As Vila do Dosterro continued to grow, so too did the surrounding regions. The success of Vila Do Dosterro resulted from its geographic location roughly halfway between the ever-expanding cities of Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro – two of the largest in the continent at the time. Due to the increase of economic activity, the state of Santa Catarina was formed in 1739, with Vila do Dosterro as its capital.

A large number of European settlers poured into Dosterro as the agricultural, cotton, and linen industries continued to grow. Commerce was thriving as the port city and it became a key player in whale hunting and the whale oil trade. The economic structure continued to grow as the development of urban centers emerged. In the late 1800s Dosterro was renamed Florianopolis in honor of the Brazilian President, Floriano Peixto.