Manaus History Facts and Timeline

(Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil)

The history of the Amazon's most populous city, Manaus, dates back to 1669, when it was founded by European colonisers and given the official title of Fort of Sao Jose do Rio Negro. It was listed as a town in 1832, with its name being changed to Manaus, which literally translates to 'Mother of Gods'.

Soon after, it became a city in 1848 and changed its name once more, this time to Cidade da Barra do Rio Negro, which means the 'City of the Black River'. Less than a decade later, in the year of 1856, the city was given its present-day name of Manaus once more.

Early Days

The Portuguese settlers colonised Manaus in 1669, building a rather basic fortress with several strategically positioned cannons to protect it against possible attacks by the Dutch, who were based within the north-easterly country of Suriname. The Fort of Sao Jose da Barra do Rio Negro, as it was known, was constructed to protect the Portuguese predominance in the region and it served its purpose well for more than a century.


By the last years of the 17th century, the population had expanded so much that missionaries decided a place of worship was now necessary. Therefore, a small chapel was erected near the fort, being named the Capela Nossa Senhora da Conceicao, or 'Chapel of Our Lady of the Conception'.

The Cabanagem Revolt

One of the most significant periods of Manaus history was known as the Cabanagem revolt, which took place between the years of 1835 and 1840. The local Indians, blacks and mestizos (people of mixed descent) protested about their political irrelevance and the poverty they were forced to live in, compared to the white minority following the independence of Brazil. Their movement against the political elite was joined by increasing numbers of people, and they were eventually able to take control of the town. However, they later surrendered after being overpowered in 1840.

Boom Years

The Amazon region experienced an enormous rubber boom in the latter part of the 19th century, with Manaus fortunately being at the very centre of these activities. This was to be the most prosperous time in the history of Manaus, with it being described by some quarters as one of the world's gaudiest cities, due to the sheer opulence and extravagance displayed by the wealthy rubber barons of this era.

The city grew and grew, with monumental buildings such as the Amazon Opera House being completed in 1895 and appearing rather palace-like, with its giant dome and colourful facade. Inside the Opera House, expensive crystal and marble was used in a 'no expense spared' attitude, being shipped over from France. In total it cost more than US$10 million to build the Teatro Amazonas, which has since been restored and remains very much in operation to this day.

Although the city had boomed for a while, the money was not always spent in a responsible manner. When rubber tree seeds were obtained by other tropical countries, Brazil was soon no longer the sole player in the rubber market and the fortunes of Manaus quickly declined, resulting in much of the city being reduced to poverty.

The city had reaped the rewards from the rubber boom, with electricity arriving even before many cities in Europe had this modern energy, but ironically, the sudden collapse of this boom resulted in the generators being too costly to operate. As a result, Manaus lost its electric lighting for years and locals began to use candles and oil lamps once more. For the city, this felt like a huge step backwards and it was keen to regain its former 'good times'.

The city was declared a duty free zone during the middle of the 20th century, which saw many people choosing to live here. In turn, this boosted its economy once more and its previously well-developed infrastructure slowly returned, although not to the extent of the glory days of the rubber boom.