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History of Goiania


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The idea of creating a new state capital had been bounced around from early on in the history of the state of Goias. The first plan came from D. Marcos de Noronha who in 1753 wanted to establish the state capital in the municipality of Pirenopolis, then again in 1863 Jose Vieira Couto de Magalhaes put forward a plan to move the capital to the edge of the river Araguaia.

The impetus behind the efforts to move the state capital was the need to locate it in accordance with the economic interests of the state. The first state capital, Vila Boa (today City of Goias), had been chosen when the economy was based on gold extraction. Later, when cattle-raising and agriculture came to dominate the state's development, the old state capital was considered remote.

Legislators kept the idea of a change alive for a long time. In 1891, the constitutional delegates made the idea of the transfer of the capital official, including it in the constitution, ratifying it in 1898 and again in 1918.

Vaguely remembered until 1930, the idea of change became a reality during the government of Pedro Ludovico, who was the new governor appointed for the state of Goias after the military revolt of 1930. In 1932, a commission was created to choose the place where the new capital would be built. In 1933 the commission decided on the present location and the foundation stone was laid.

The plan was for a city of 50,000 with the shape of a concentric radius – streets in the form of a spoke, with the Praca Cívica as the center, with the seats of the state and municipal government – The Palace of Emeralds and the Palace of Campinas.

In 1937, a decree was signed transferring the state capital from the Cidade de Goias to Goiania. The official inauguration only occurred in 1942 with the presence of the president of the republic, governors, and ministers.

The name, Goiania, came about in 1933 after a contest was held by a local newspaper. Readers from all over
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