The Portuguese established Manaus in 1669 as a fortress and named it "Sao Jose da Barra." The rubber boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries led to the commercial expansion of the city. Manaus became a model city of the early 1900s, molded by the world's leading architects and engineers.
Manaus is situated on the River Negro, 11 miles (18km) from its convergence with the Amazon River.
One of the most amazing sights of this great city is the Teatro Amazonas: the Manaus Opera House. Built in the 1890s, this theater was an architectural feat of its time, with Italian marble and frescoes, French crystal chandeliers and tiles and English wrought-iron banisters. This extravagant architecture is a reminder of the "Golden Age" of Manaus.
Brazil's first university, known today as the "Autonomous University of Manaus," was founded in Manaus. In 1967 Manaus became a duty-free zone and experienced significant cultural and economic growth due to its flourishing commercial and industrial sector.
Located in a tropical jungle, Manaus receives steady precipitation throughout the year. Temperatures stay between 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius) and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), but rainfall is highest from January to April. The driest season is from July to October.
The Eduardo Gomes International Airport serves all flights to and from Manaus. The city is also connected by highway to the rest of Brazil. Boats on the Amazon river arrive at the Manaus port, located downtown.
