Parque Estadual Jaraguá

The Parque Estadual do Jaraguá is home to one of the last remnants of Atlantic Forest in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region. Once a farm from the gold cycle, its land was acquired by the state government in 1940 and turned into a state park in 1961, with the aim of protecting the region's natural resources, encouraging research and promoting environmental education. In 1994, UNESCO recognized it as World Heritage, part of the Reserva da Biosfera do Cinturão Verde de São Paulo. The word Jaraguá comes from Tupi and means “Lord of the Valleys,” which is evident in its most striking feature, the Pico do Jaraguá, at an altitude of 1,135 meters, visible from many parts of the city. This makes the Park a unique natural attraction in the city of São Paulo.