Last modified: 2021-12-11 by ian macdonald
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image by Dirk Schönberger, 12 June 2012
The municipality of Gravatal (10,636 inhabitants in 2010; 16,847 ha) is
located 150 km south of Florianópolis.
Gravatal was established, as
Gravatá, in 1842 by João Martins de Souza (1820-1891), a descendant of
Portuguese immigrants established in Lagoa de Conceição. At the time, the place,
named for bromeliads growing profusely there, was a canoe port established on
river Capivary. Souza built a house close to the river and two mills used to
process sugarcane and cassava. After his death, he was succeeded by his widow,
Thomázia (1823-1904) and some of their twelve children.
The municipality
of Gravatal was established by State Law No. 802 promulgated on 20 December
1961, separating from Tubarão. The place's name was changed from Gravatá to
Gravatal for the sake of differentiation from Gravatá, Pernambuco.
https://www.gravatal.sc.gov.br/
Municipal website
Ivan Sache, 3 November 2021
A red saltire, bordered white, on a blue field, with the municipal arms in a white rectangle in the centre.
Official website at
http://www.gravatal.sc.gov.br.
Dirk Schönberger, 12 June 2012
The flag and arms of Gravatal are prescribed by Municipal Law No. 713
promulgated on 6 November 1997.
Article 6.
The municipal flag of
Gravatal, designed by the heraldist Arcinoé Antonio Peixoto de Faria, shall be
quartered by a saltire, with blue quarters formed by four white stripes of 2
units in width superimposed with red stripes of 1 unit, arranged two by two in
bend and bend sinister, starting from the angles of a central, white rectangle
of 6 units in width on 8 units in length charged with the municipal coat of
arms.
§1. In compliance with the tradition of Portuguese heraldry, and
their inherited canons and rules, municipal flags have to be divided in eight,
six, four or three parts, featuring the same colors as the field of the coat of
arms and in the center or at hoist a geometrical figure inscribing the
municipal coat of arms.
§2. The municipal flag of Gravatal obeys this
general rule, being quartered in saltire. The coat of arms applied on the flag
represents the municipal government while the white rectangle inscribing it
represents the town proper as the municipal seat. White is a symbol of peace,
friendship, work, prosperity, purity and religiosity. The white stripes charged
with red stripes represent the spread of municipal power all over the
territory. Red is a symbol of dedication, patriotic love, audacity,
intrepidity, courage and valiance. The blue quarters represent the rural
estates scattered over the municipal territory. Blue is a symbol of justice,
nobleness, perseverance, zeal and loyalty. Red is a symbol of dedication,
patriotic love, audacity, intrepidity, courage and valiance.
Article 7.
In compliance with heraldic rules, the municipal flag shall have the official
dimensions prescribed for the national flag, 14 units in width on 20 units in
length.
Article 19.
The coat of arms of Gravatal, designed by the
heraldist Arcinoé Antonio Peixoto de Faria,is described as follows:
A
Samnite shield surmounted by a six-towered mural crown argent. On a field azure
inescutcheon argent a cross patty gules filled argent quarterly 1. and 4.
Portuguese "quinas" azure with bezants argent in saltire, 2. and 3. Lions
rampant gules in chief two lions argent in cantons fountains argent pouring
water argent in base a hunting horn argent. The shield supported dexter and
sinister by cassava and rice plants proper superimposed by a scroll gules
containing in letters argent the toponym "GRAVATAL" and the dates "1842" and
"1961".
The coat of arms has the following symbolic interpretation:
a) The Samnite shield, used to represent the arms of Gravatal, was the first
style of shield introduced to Portugal by French influence, inherited by the
Brazilian heraldry to evoke the colonizing race and main builder of the nation;
b) The mural crown surmounting the shield is the universal symbol of domain's
coats of arms; argent (silver) with six towers, four visible in perspective
view, it classifies the town as of third rank or municipal seat.
c) Azure
(blue) is a symbol of justice, nobleness, perseverance, zeal and loyalty.
d)
The escutcheon reproduces the arms of the Souza family.
e) The fountains
argent (silver) pouring water of the same recalls the town as an hydro-mineral
resort due to its thermal sources that constitute a tourism attraction.
f)
Argent (silver) is a symbol of peace, friendship, work, prosperity, purity and
religious spirit.
g) The hunting horn argent (silver) recalls
cattle-breeding, one of the municipality's main sources of income.
h) The
outer ornaments, rice and cassava, represent the main products of the generous
and fertile soil.
i) On a scroll gules (red), a symbol of dedication,
patriotic love, audacity, intrepidity, courage and valiance, in letters argent
(silver) the identifying toponym "GRAVATAL" surrounded by years "1842", for its
foundation, and "1961", for its political emancipation.
https://leismunicipais.com.br/a/sc/g/gravatal/lei-ordinaria/1997/72/713/lei-ordinaria-n-713-1997-dispoe-sobre-a-forma-e-a-apresentacao-dos-simbolos-do-municipio-de-gravatal-e-da-outras-providencias
Leis Municipais database
Photos
https://www.camaragravatal.sc.gov.br/camara/conteudo/publicacoes/Noticias/1/2017/9
https://www.facebook.com/legislativogravatalense/photos/p.645597585930847/645597585930847/?type=1&theater
https://www.facebook.com/legislativogravatalense/photos/a.254031505087459/651679145322691/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/legislativogravatalense/photos/a.256767408147202/256760201481256/?type=3&theater
The mineral water that gushes forth in Gravatal's spa is mesothermal
(temperature, 36°C), radioactive (24.8 UM) and oligomineral. Its
physico-chemical features are acquired during percolation through cracks of
granitic rocks. Rich in lithium and fluorine, the water is of optimal drinkable
quality. Its temperature and radio-activity makes it also suitable for
crenatherapy and balneotherapy.
http://inseguro.fecam.org.br/cms/link/link-cabecalho-inseguro/codSite/641/codMapaItem/16404
Ivan Sache, 3 November 2021