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Facts about Jaraguá, Goiás

Twenty facts about Jaraguá, each with a source: from the origin of the name to a free-flight record, through churches from 1776, the Cavalhadas and a legend that haunts the Largo do Rosário.

History and name

  1. Third-oldest town in Goiás. Semad describes Jaraguá this way, after Cidade de Goiás and Pirenópolis.
  2. The name comes from the Jaguará people. According to local history, a tribe of that name lived near the settlement.
  3. The settlement was once called Nossa Senhora da Penha de Jaraguá. Only in 1882 did it become simply Jaraguá.
  4. The Rosário church was built by enslaved people in 1776 and is recognized by IPHAN, according to Wikipedia. See museums and heritage.
  5. The French naturalist Auguste de Saint-Hilaire passed through, according to Semad, as did the Austrian Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl, in the early 19th century.
  6. The Matriz was demolished in 1918 and rebuilt in 1950. The first chapel, from 1748, is the origin of the church.
  7. Jaraguá is a judicial district seat (sede de comarca).

Nature and adventure

  1. A 303 km record. The longest distance flight logged by Semad took off from the Serra de Jaraguá ramp and landed in Rio Verde, in a straight line. See paragliding.
  2. Up to 350 athletes in July. Semad says the ramp hosts an international paragliding circuit in July with that many pilots.
  3. Free entry to the park. The Serra de Jaraguá State Park covers 2,828.66 hectares and charges no entrance fee for independent visits.
  4. A 1.6 km downhill. The park's mountain-bike course is used in national competitions, according to Semad. See sports and adventure.
  5. The Rio das Almas rises in Pirenópolis and cuts through the Serra; the Rio Pari supplies the town.
  6. Ipê trees in August and September. Yellow and purple ipês bloom at the foot of the Serra at the height of the dry season.
  7. A stretch of the Cora Coralina Trail crosses the municipality: about 24.2 km, from the Rosário church to Vila Aparecida. See Cora Coralina Trail.

Culture and economy

  1. Pineapple king. Jaraguá was once known by that nickname, before becoming famous for denim.
  2. The 193rd edition of the Cavalhadas took place in 2026, according to the city government. See Cavalhadas.
  3. The Festa do Divino falls 49 days after Easter, so its date changes every year.
  4. In the Bloco do Zé Pereira, men dress as women and vice versa to open the street Carnival. Organizers reported that the 2010 Carnival drew about 70,000 people. See the 2011 record (in Portuguese).
  5. The legend of Teresa Bicuda. In Goiás folklore, her body was taken up the Serra after she haunted the town. Read it on the culture page.

Beware of namesakes

There are at least three well-known Jaraguás: Jaraguá (Goiás), this one; Jaraguá do Sul, in Santa Catarina; and the Jaraguá State Park in São Paulo city. When searching for buses, lodging or weather, check the state. Jaraguá, Goiás, is about 120 km from Goiânia and 230 km from Brasília (see how to get there).

Keep exploring

Sources: Semad/Parques de Goiás (third-oldest town, Saint-Hilaire, record, July circuit, downhill, Cora Coralina Trail); Jaraguá City Council (name, town and city status); Wikipedia (Portuguese), entry "Jaraguá (Goiás)" (IPHAN, Pohl); Jaraguá city government (193rd Cavalhadas); folklore: José Aparecido Teixeira, Folclore goiano, 1979. Consulted in October 2026.

Updated on October 19, 2026