Blumenau is one city where you will see the huge display of German influence. You may think that the city can be found in Europe due to its European-sounding name. The city is, in fact, part of the state of Santa Catarina in Brazil. The name was taken from its founder Dr. Hermann Bruno Otto Blumenau, a German philosopher.
It is due to its German roots that we still see remnants of this culture around the city. Aside from the annual Oktoberfest that was patterned after the one in Brazil, Blumenau also illustrates German culture that is still evident up to this day. One such example is its architecture.
There are still a lot of structures around Blumenau that you see and can not mistake as that of having German influence. When you are in the city of Blumenau, you may even forget that you are in Brazil and may think that you are in some part of Europe.
The Villa Germânica
- Vila Germânica or the German Village is one prime area in Blumenau that exhibits rich German architecture. The houses’ façade, as well as the roofs, are what best shows this. Because of this great architectural design that has been preserved and can still be seen and appreciated, the village is the favorite among photographers and is even popularly used in Blumenau postcards. This is also where the annual Oktoberfest is held every October.
The Museo de la Familia Colonial
Museo de la Familia Colonial or the Colonial Family Museum was built in 1858. It was home to Victor Gaertner, a merchant and former consul of Blumenau. It is one of the only two houses in the city that exhibit Enxaimel architecture. This type of architecture marked the first years of the Blumenau architecture. Now it is a museum that has a collection of 19th-century furniture, documents on the city’s foundation and photos of life during the early settlement. Its most interesting feature is the cat cemetery that is found in the garden.
Prefeitura Municipal de Blumenau
This was built in the early 1980s and now functions as Blumenau’s city hall. It is a very old building that is regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings in the city that has a German style.
Fritz Müller Ecological Museum
The museum was the former residence of Fritz Mueller. The edifice was still preserved along with its collection of local species.