Florianópolis guide · History
History of Florianópolis and the Island: from shell mounds to Azoreans.
Photo: Campeche Lofts
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Santa Catarina Island has thousands of years of settlement. Before the Europeans, shell-mound peoples and the Carijós lived here. Then came the town of Desterro, the fortresses and, in the 18th century, thousands of Azoreans. Ribeirão da Ilha, in the south, keeps one of the oldest Azorean settlements. This guide tells it simply and shows where to see each piece.
The story in a few dates.
Historical dates vary between sources. These are the most cited.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| Thousands of years ago | Shell-mound peoples settle the island coast |
| Around 1673 | Francisco Dias Velho founds the settlement of Nossa Senhora do Desterro (official city date: February 17, 1673) |
| 1726 | Desterro is raised to town (vila) status |
| 1748 to 1756 | About 6,000 Azoreans arrive; parishes such as Lagoa da Conceição, Santo Antônio de Lisboa and Ribeirão da Ilha emerge |
| 1894 | Desterro is renamed Florianópolis |
| 1926 | The Hercílio Luz bridge is inaugurated |
Before the Europeans.
The island had been inhabited for a very long time.
Shell-mound peoples
Sambaquis are large mounds of shells, built by groups of hunters, fishers and gatherers who lived on the coast. UFSC studies treat them as human-made structures, with burials and objects, not just food waste.
Carijós
When the Europeans arrived, the coast was occupied by Tupi-Guarani-speaking peoples called Carijós. They lived from farming, fishing and gathering shellfish. Colonization greatly reduced these peoples.
Traces of this ancient presence remain today, such as the rock engravings on Campeche Island, protected by Iphan. See how to visit in our article Ilha do Campeche: como visitar e regras (in Portuguese).
Dias Velho and the town of Desterro.
The start of the city, still small and fragile.
- Founding: the São Paulo frontiersman Francisco Dias Velho began the settlement of Nossa Senhora do Desterro around 1673. The city uses February 17, 1673 as its official date.
- Pirate attack: Dias Velho was killed in a pirate attack in the 1680s. Some residents left the place afterward.
- Town status: in 1726, Desterro became a vila, separating from Laguna. March 23, the day of that event, remains the city's traditional birthday.
- Military defense: from 1739, Brigadier José da Silva Paes was tasked with fortifying the island to protect the port. That is the origin of the fortresses, which have their own guide.
The arrival of the Azoreans (1748 to 1756).
The change that most shaped the look of the island.
In 1747, a royal order arranged for couples from the Azores to settle the southern coast of Brazil. The first families reached the port of Desterro in 1748. Between 1748 and 1756 about 6,000 Azoreans came, plus some 50 people from Madeira, according to the Azorean government's Portal da Açorianidade.
Lagoa da Conceição and Santo Antônio de Lisboa
Wikipedia describes the first Azorean colony on the shore of Lagoa da Conceição (March 1748), followed by Santo Antônio de Lisboa. The latter already had residents before 1748.
Ribeirão da Ilha
Among the parishes created in this settlement is Ribeirão da Ilha, in the south. See the next section.
Mainland
On the mainland across from the island, São José da Terra Firme, São Miguel and Enseada de Brito were born.
Ribeirão da Ilha: one of the oldest Azorean settlements.
The place that is about 20 minutes by car from Campeche, without traffic.
- Origin: Wikipedia describes it as one of the oldest centers of Azorean colonization, founded in the mid-18th century, and as the second-oldest district of Florianópolis, after Santo Antônio de Lisboa. The sources do not call it the first: Lagoa da Conceição and Santo Antônio are usually cited before it.
- Couples: accounts mention about 50 Azorean couples, a figure from historical tradition, with no document cited. They are said to have supplied the fortress troops.
- Church: the Nossa Senhora da Lapa chapel dates from around 1760. The stone church was inaugurated in 1806. The parish appears in sources with the date 1809.
- Today: the central houses are protected by a 1975 municipal law and the district keeps its village pace, with oysters facing the bay.
To see this history up close, use our Ribeirão da Ilha guide.
Florianópolis, the bridge and modernization.
From the old name to the city symbol.
1894: the new name
By State Law no. 111 of October 1, 1894, signed by Governor Hercílio Luz, Desterro became Florianópolis, "city of Floriano", in honor of Marshal Floriano Peixoto. It came shortly after the Federalist Revolution. Some residents never fully accepted the name, and the debate continues.
1926: the Hercílio Luz bridge
Work began on November 14, 1922 and the bridge was inaugurated on May 13, 1926, linking the island to the mainland. Today it is protected as heritage and is the city's postcard.
The city grows
With the bridge and the following years, the island opened to the mainland. According to IBGE, the population went from about 25,000 in 1872 to over 537,000 in the 2022 census.
The Azorean culture that carries on.
Traditions that still appear on the island's calendar.
Boi de Mamão
A folk play with characters such as the Bernúncia and Maricota. The city recognizes it as intangible cultural heritage.
Terno de Reis
An Azorean tradition running from early December to Three Kings Day, January 6. In Florianópolis, groups gather at the Metropolitan Cathedral.
Bobbin lace (renda de bilro)
A lace technique brought by Azorean women and still made by lacemakers on the island, as in Lagoa da Conceição.
Cassava flour mills
Traditional cassava flour mills are among the intangible heritage items recognized by the city.
Mullet (tainha) fishing
Artisanal mullet fishing at Campeche Beach is registered as intangible heritage of Santa Catarina. It is a custom on the beach in front of the inn.
Festa do Divino
A festival brought by the Azoreans, already recognized as intangible heritage of Santa Catarina.
Where to see this history.
A simple route starting from Campeche.
- Ribeirão da Ilha: Azorean houses, the 1806 church and the village born of colonization.
- Downtown: the historic center of Desterro, with the Cathedral and the Hercílio Luz bridge.
- Lagoa da Conceição: where Wikipedia places the first Azorean colony.
- Churches and fortresses: the island's military defense.
- Floripa islands: Campeche Island and Anhatomirim fortress.
- Campeche: beach, mullet fishing and the inn.
- South of the island and east beaches: fishing villages.
- North of the island: more places to complete the map.
Frequently asked questions
Was Ribeirão da Ilha the first Azorean place on the island?
Not the first in the sources we consulted, but it is one of the oldest Azorean settlements. Wikipedia calls it the second-oldest district of Florianópolis. Lagoa da Conceição and Santo Antônio de Lisboa are usually cited before it.
When did the Azoreans arrive in Florianópolis?
The first families reached the port of Desterro in 1748. Settlement continued until 1756, with about 6,000 Azoreans.
Why did Desterro become Florianópolis?
In 1894, after the Federalist Revolution, a state law changed the name to honor Marshal Floriano Peixoto. The change still sparks debate in the city.
When was the Hercílio Luz bridge inaugurated?
On May 13, 1926. Construction began on November 14, 1922.
Where can I see Azorean heritage today?
In the houses and church of Ribeirão da Ilha, in festivals and folk plays such as Boi de Mamão and Terno de Reis, in bobbin lace and in mullet fishing.
Sources
- Cover photo: Campeche Lofts
- Wikipédia — História de Florianópolis · accessed October 12, 2026
- Wikipédia — Ribeirão da Ilha · accessed October 12, 2026
- Portal da Açorianidade (Governo dos Açores) — Açorianos em Santa Catarina · accessed October 12, 2026
- IBGE — Monografia do município de Florianópolis (Lei Estadual nº 111, de 1894) · accessed October 12, 2026
- CREA-SC — Ponte Hercílio Luz completa 88 anos de história · accessed October 12, 2026
- UFSC — Florianópolis arqueológica (e-book) · accessed October 12, 2026
- NSC Total — Com 13 bens imateriais reconhecidos, Florianópolis precisa garantir a proteção dos patrimônios · accessed October 12, 2026
- NSC Total — Comunidades pesqueiras de Florianópolis recebem registro de patrimônio imaterial de SC · accessed October 12, 2026
- Campeche Lofts blog — Ilha do Campeche: como visitar e regras (Portuguese) · reviewed 2026
Historical information varies between sources. Confirm with museums and official bodies before you visit.
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