Iperó City

        The Cradle of South America's Ironworks

            Located in the city of Iperó, the Ipanema Farm belongs to the first years
                of independent Brazil, its history registers the earliest settling on the interior
                of the country. It was there, in 1589, at the summit of the Araçoiaba mount,
                that Alfonso Sardinha and his son installed the very first ovens for
                the manufacture of iron in South-American land. The arrival of the Portuguese
                Royal Family in Brazil marked the beginning of the “Real Fabrica de Ferro
                de Ipanema” the first ironworks of the nation, created by means of a royal
                letter from D. João VI. The Ipanema Plant was XIX's century longest lasting
                metallurgy enterprise, and also one of the most discussed in the country's
                literature on account of its innumerable challenges.

                From 1811 to 1895, the ironworks brought technology to the country and
                innovative workmanship in construction. At the farm, agricultural and
                cannons were cast. Plows, hoes and scythes were produced but also
                the iron used in the forging of the swords, sabers and bayonets used by
                the Brazilian Army in the War of Paraguay in 1865.


               The end of the Empire also signaled the end of the Royal Plant of Ipanema,
               in the XX century the Ministry of Agriculture took over its management,
               and began the exploration of apatite for the manufacture of fertilizers and
               research and development of agricultural machinery.
               In 1992, the National Forest of Ipanema is created, one of the most  important
               genetic banks of Brazilian flora. Today, sprouts of the endangered 'Pau Brazil',
               'Jequitibá Vermelho' and  'Ipê Amarelo' trees among many others
               are cultivated in the reserve and used for reforestation in many parts of
               the state. The grounds can be visited today obeying the natural preserves
               regulation from the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural
               Resources - the IBAMA.