Santa Cruz do Sul ( ) is a city in central Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The city has approximately 130,000 inhabitants and sits about 150 km (about 93 miles) from the capital city of the state, Porto Alegre. The city enjoys a high standard of living and Gross Income per Capita is 2.5 times greater than that of the average person's salary in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

The center Cathedral of São João Batista is one of the main tourist draws in the city. The adjacent block in front of the Cathedral, Getúlio Vargas Square, is adorned with fountains and trees. São João Batista Cathedral is one of the largest cathedrals in all of Brazil. The main edifice was built between 1928 and 1932 and the two 82 meter (269 ft) tall towers were added later.

IndustryThe area around Santa Cruz do Sul is mainly agricultural, and produces large quantities of tobacco and soy beans for animal fodder. Most of the tobacco produced in the area is exported as a raw material for cigarette manufacturing plants all over the world. Soy bean processing plants sell several million tons of animal fodder annually, for domestic use and for export.

Oktoberfest

Each year, the citizens of Santa Cruz do Sul and visitors from the region celebrate Oktoberfest. The city has a large population of German-Brazilians. Thousands turn out each year for the Oktoberfest celebration.

João-de-Barro Bom-Plac House Project

The Prefeitura Municipal de Santa Cruz do Sul won a 2004 Energy Globe Award for the João-de-Barro Bom-Plac House Project.

Paleontology

This city belongs to the geopark of Paleorrota.

External links

• Santa Cruz do Sul City Hall website
• Gazeta do Sul - News from Santa Cruz do Sul
• Santa Cruz Oktoberfest site functions a few months before October only

More photos of Santa Cruz do Sul

Image:Santa Cruz do Sul catedral vertical 2005-03-21.jpg|São João Batista CathedralImage:Cresc pop stacruz.png|Chart of population growth

References

1. 2005 Energy Globe Awards, accessed 2007-05-19