The Casino, Guanabara Lake, the outdoors' showers, the lighthouse, and the Wenceslau Bras Park (or "New Park"), were all designed and built by Americo Werneck, who was the mayor of Lambari, designated by Wenceslau Bras, Minas Gerais state's governor. The opening of these man made wonders was on March 24, 1911. Due to changes in the local law, the Casino was open for only one day.

"A little bit of its history"

The famous mineral water fountains were discovered in 1780 by the field worker Tancredo, foreman in a farm in a neighboring city. He was galloping through the region when he noticed a little creek and a small fountain from where was coming water with a different taste. He filled up a canteen and took it to his fiancee Cecilia. His fiancee was a little sick, and only after Tancredo's persistency she decided to drink some of that water. Incredibly she showed some signs of improvement in her health.

Cecilia's father, thankful for what happened, decided to take her to that strange fountain, where she stayed for twenty days, only drinking of that water, what caused her complete recovery from her illness. As a way to thank God for what happen, Cecila's father got permission from the land's owner and built a little chapel, dedicating it to "Mary - Our Lady of Health", and in that same chapel he celebrated his daughter marriage to Tancredo, who lived happily ever after.

Another version of the city's history is that some hunters, friends of Antonio Araujo Dantas, owner of the land, discovered the fountains.

In 1826 the public administrator for the region known as "Vila da Campanha do Rio Verde" started to become more and more interested in the fountains. In 1831 they bought a large area from Mr. Dantas, with the intent of developing a little village or town in that region. Since 1831 the village was denominated "Lambari," since it was located in a larger area known as "Lambari's Region."

In August of 1868, Lambari received the royal visit of Princess Isabel and her husband, Count D'Eu, who went to the city in search of the "wonder waters," since the princess was having problems on providing an heir to the crown. They stayed in Lambari for four months. Coincidentally or not, nine months after they return to the royal palaces in Petropolis, Dom Pedro do Grao Para was born.

His majesty, Count D'eu, enchanted with Lambari's localization in the mountains and its waters, wrote some letters to the court, one of them dated October 10, 1868 addressed to his father, where he states:

"The neighborhood over here are enchanting for horseback trips; the days are of wonderful spring (weather), and hardly it will be found a more beautiful place."

He ends his letter by saying that not even the Black Forest, with its range of mountains flowing parallel to the Reno river are not more picturesque than the place where Lambari is located. (source: O Ultimo Conde D'Eu - Alberto Rangel - pag. 198 a 203).

Lambari was politically emancipated on September 16 of 1901.

(Above text was kindly translated by Paulo Miranda)

Where is Lambari ?

It is located on the South of Minas Gerais State, about 300 km from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

896 meters above sea level. Temperature varies from 32° to -5° Celsius. Population is approximately 20.000 habitants.