Serra dos Órgãos

Serra dos Órgãos National Park
IUCN category II (national park)
Rock formations and the God's Finger peak in the background
Location	Brazil
Nearest city	Teresópolis
Coordinates	22°26′43.26″S 42°59′59.13″W / 22.4453500°S 42.9997583°W / -22.4453500; -42.9997583Coordinates: 22°26′43.26″S 42°59′59.13″W / 22.4453500°S 42.9997583°W / -22.4453500; -42.9997583
Area	110 km²
Established	1939

Serra dos Órgãos ("Organs Range", "Range of the Organs") is a mountain range in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which was turned into a national park in 1939. It is located about a one-hour drive from the city of Rio de Janeiro.

The Serra dos Órgãos National Park was created in 1939 as the third national park in Brazil. The objective was to protect the native forest on the hillsides and the fresh water springs abundant in the region. When created the park occupied land previously controlled by four municipalities: Petrópolis, Teresópolis, Guapimirim and Magé.

The origin of the unusual name is credited to early Portuguese settlers who thought the ensemble of the hill tops resembled the pipes of organs in European cathedrals.

God's Finger Peak: The best known of the rock formations in the park.

The Park's area is 110 square kilometres (42 sq mi) and it has 10 peaks higher than 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) and six other peaks over 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) high. The lowest point in the park is located in the relatively flat municipality of Magé, at 145 metres (476 ft). The highest peak is Pedra do Sino (Bell Rock), at 2,263 metres (7,425 ft). The most famous formation in the park is the Dedo de Deus (God's Finger) peak, which resembles a left hand with its index finger stretched, pointing towards the sky. It is 1,692 metres (5,551 ft) high and can be seen in the background of the flag of the Rio de Janeiro state.

The park is part of the larger Serra do Mar chain of mountains, and the most accepted theory about its origin is that it rose about 60 million years ago during earthquakes that caused the Andes to rise. That means it is located in a geologically unstable location, although no incident has ever been recorded in the area.

Temperatures in the mountains can fall as low as 4 °C (39 °F), and the average temperature at 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) is 17 °C (63 °F). Humidity is between 80 and 90% on average, but it can reach 99% at higher altitudes.

The park is one of the few natural habitats of species of Schlumbergera, which were developed into the colourful "Thanksgiving Cactus" and "Christmas Cactus", widely grown as house plants.^[1]

Gallery

Serra dos Orgãos during the 1820s. Painting by Johann Moritz Rugendas
Serra dos Órgãos seen from Teresópolis, 1885. Oil on canvas by Georg Grimm
Peaks (from left to right): Escalavrado, Dedo de Nossa Senhora, Dedo de Deus, Cabeça de Peixe and Santo Antônio.
The main highway (BR-116; right) leading through the park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
God's Finger
Devil's Needle
View of the park in Teresópolis, part of the Serra do Mar mountain range
Serra dos Órgãos at dawn
Sunrise
Sunrise through the fog
Swimming pool with mineral water
Landscape of the park seen from the Castelo do Açu peak
Trail at the park, Petrópolis
Forest trail in Guapimirim
Suspended trail into the woods
Serra dos Órgãos, in the background, seen from the city of Rio de Janeiro
Comary Lake in Teresópolis, with the Escalavrado and the God's Finger (far right) peaks in the background

References

↑ McMillan, A.J.S.; Horobin, J.F. (1995), Christmas Cacti : The genus Schlumbergera and its hybrids (p/b ed.), Sherbourne, Dorset: David Hunt, ISBN 978-0-9517234-6-3

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Serra dos Órgãos National Park.

Protected areas of Brazil

National parks	Abrolhos Alto Ribeira State and Tourist Park Amazônia Aparados da Serra Araguaia Araucárias Brasília Cabo Orange Campos Gerais Caparaó Cavernas do Peruaçu Chapada das Mesas Chapada Diamantina Chapada dos Guimarães Chapada dos Veadeiros Emas Fernando de Noronha Furna Feia Grande Sertão Veredas Iguaçu Ilha Grande Itatiaia Jacupiranga Jaú Jericoacoara Jurubatiba Juruena Lençóis Maranhenses Monte Pascoal Monte Roraima Nascentes Pacaás Novos Pantanal Matogrossense Pau Brasil Pedra Azul Pico da Neblina Pontões Capixabas Lagoa do Peixe Saint-Hilaire São Joaquim Sempre Vivas Serra da Bocaina Serra da Bodoquena Serra da Canastra Serra da Capivara Serra da Cutia Serra de Itabaiana Serra da Mocidade Serra do Cipó Serra do Divisor Serra do Itajaí Serra do Pardo Serra dos Órgãos Serra Geral Sete Cidades Superagüi Terra Ronca Tijuca Tumucumaque Ubajara Vale do Catimbau Viruá Xingu

Biological reserves	Abufari Andradina Apiacás Atol das Rocas Augusto Banhados do Delta Canela Preta Carmo da Mata Colônia 31 de Março Comboios Córrego de Veado Córrego Grande Fazenda São Mateus Fontes do Ipiranga Guaporé Guaratiba Guaribas Gurupi Ibirapuitã Ilha do Cabo Frio Jaíba Jaru Lago Piratuba Lami José Lutzenberger Lapinha Maracá Marinha do Arvoredo Mata do Acauã Mata do Jambreiro Mata dos Ausentes Mata Paludosa Mogi-Guaçu Pedra Talhada Perobas Pindorama Poço das Antas Praia do Sul Biological Reserve Professor José Ângelo Rizzo Rio Trombetas Saltinho Santa Isabel Santa Rita São Camilo São Donato São Sebastião do Paraíso Serra Negra Sooretama Tamboré Tapirapé Tinguá Uatumã Una Vila Facchini

Ecological reserves	Alcobaça IBGE Ilha dos Lobos Juami-Japurá Jutaí-Solimões Raso Sauim-Castanheiras

Ecological stations	Anavilhanas Aracuri Caracaraí Carijós Guaraqueçaba Iquê Jari Juami-Japurá Maracá Maracá-Jipioca Niquiá Pirapitinga Rio Acre Seridó Serra das Araras Taiamã Taim Tamoios Tupinambás Tupiniquins Uruçui-Una

Environmental protection areas	Anhatomirim Bacia do Rio Descoberto Bacia do Rio São Bartolomeu Barra do Rio Cairuçu Cananéia-Iguape Carste Cavernas do Peruaçu Fernando de Noronha Guaraqueçaba Ibirapuitã Igarapé Gelado Jericoacoara Morro da Pedreira Petrópolis Piaçabuçu Quapi-Mirim Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago Serra da Mantiqueira Serra de Tabatinga

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