UR7 is located in the Várzea neighborhood, West Zone of Recife, beside the communities Loteamento Cosme and Damião, Rosa Selvagem, Jardim Petrópolis, Jardim Teresópolis, among others. It is close to the cities of Camaragibe and São Lourenço da Mata. Its history is inserted in the context of formation of the bairro da Várzea (Várzea neighborhood).
Várzea is the name given to the low and flat lands, without swamps, bordering rivers and streams. The occupation of this region took place in the early days of Portuguese colonization in Pernambuco, in the first half of the 16th century. The area chosen by the Portuguese for planting sugarcane was Várzea do Capibaribe, and the first mill in the region was called Santo Antônio. The land was fertile, with plenty of water and soon the mills multiplied. By 1630 there were 16 sugar mills in full operation and, on the right bank of the river, a village rapidly started to develop, becoming a parish.
At the end of the first half of the 19th century, Várzea became the center of a dispute as a holiday camp. The crystal clear water of the river attracted people from Recife who came from all over the city to enjoy baths that were said to have healing power. This lasted until the mid-1880s, when the pollution of Capibaribe began, and the practice of bathing in the river diminished.
The Várzea neighborhood is the second largest in terms of territorial extension in the municipality of Recife, totaling 2,264 hectares, heavily wooded, crossed by the Capibaribe River and providing a pleasant climate. Their trade is not very expressive; however, it has several cultural activities.
As for education, the first school built was Maria da Conceição, being the seat of the masses on Sunday mornings, as there was no church. Currently, the neighborhood has several municipal, state and private schools. Most residents report that the education is good, but suggest building more schools and day care centers, as the number of places is not enough to serve the whole community.
As for health, the service is considered precarious, with only one Basic Family Health Unit (ESF), which lacks doctors and medicines and the wait for appointments and exams is long. Security is also pointed out by residents as a social indicator that needs improvement, as it lacks more effective police patrols.
Commerce existed through “sales,” in which residents bought products in small quantities and without variety. Currently there is a small trade, with establishments composed of bakeries, popular stores, supermarkets, pharmacies, greengrocers and restaurants. Informal trade is also frequently observed.
As for places of leisure and social interaction, there are small squares and two football fields. The forest of São João da Várzea, or simply Mata de Brennand, is also a place used for leisure, mainly for walking and bathing in the spout.
Recife, November 6, 2019
* This text is part of the project Interagindo com a História do Seu Bairro (Interacting with the History of Your Neighborhood), a partnership between the Joaquim Nabuco Foundation and the Programa Manuel Bandeira de Formação de Leitores (Manuel Bandeira Readership Training Program).
sources consulted
VAINSENCHER, Semira Adler. Instituto Ricardo Brennand. In: Pesquisa Escolar. Recife: Fundação Joaquim Nabuco, 2012. Disponível em: https://pesquisaescolar.fundaj.gov.br/pt-br/artigo/instituto-ricardo-brennand/. Acesso em: 6 nov. 2019.
SILVA, Leonardo Dantas. Várzea (Bairro, Recife). In: Pesquisa Escolar. Recife: Fundação Joaquim Nabuco, 2019. Disponível em: https://pesquisaescolar.fundaj.gov.br/pt-br/artigo/varzea-bairro-recife/. Acesso em: 6 de nov. de 2019.
how to quote this text
PIRAUÁ, Isabela Cabral de M. Dantas, SILVA; Janeide Correia de Melo; VITOR; Karla Karoline Silva. UR7 Várzea. In: PESQUISA Escolar. Recife: Fundação Joaquim Nabuco, 2019. Available from: https://pesquisaescolar.fundaj.gov.br/pt-br/artigo/ur7-varzea/. Access on: Month. day, year. (Ex.: Nov. 6, 2021.)