Silves, Amazonas

Silves or Ilha de Silves is a island municipality in the state o Amazonas, northren Brazil. It is locatit 10 km straicht line north or aboot 40 km bi watter frae the Amazon River, 200 kilometre (120 mi) east o Manaus (amaist haufwey atween that ceety an the Amazonas-Pará state border). Its population wis 9,046 (2005) an its aurie is 3,749 square kilometre (1,447 sq mi).

History

Silves is ane o the auldest municipalities in the state o Amazonas. It wis established in 1660 (some sources say 1663) as a Jesuit Indian mission, the aldea o Santa Cruz. It wis abandoned a year later when Jesuits wur evictit frae the aurie for failur tae cooperate wi Portuguese slave raiders. In 1685, it wis reestablished bi Mercedarian Theodozio da Viega at the same steid an kent bi the name o aldea de Saracá (namit for the loch). Twa mair veelages wur foondit bi Mercedarian missionars on Rio Urubu an haed the names o São Pedro Nolasco an São Raimundo. They disappeared shortly efter foondin. In 1759, the aldea o Saracá wis elevatit tae a veelage wi the name Silves, efter ceevil pairish o Silves, Portugal.

See an aw

• Itacoatiara anither auld mission toun nearbi