Country Brazil State Bahia Elevation 483.82 m (1,587.34 ft) Area 4,116 km² Local time Monday 9:36 AM | Region Northeast Founded August 31, 1923 Demonym(s) Lapense Population 68,922 (2014) Number of airports 1 | |
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Weather 30°C, Wind NE at 6 km/h, 48% Humidity | ||
Bom Jesus da Lapa is a municipality in Bahia, Brazil located 796 kilometres (495 mi) from the state capital. The population as of 2014 was recorded at 68,922 according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The city covers a total area of 4,115.5 square kilometres (1,589.0 sq mi) along the banks of the São Francisco River. Its economy is based on agriculture, commerce, tourism and fishing. The current mayor is Eures Ribeiro Pereira. It is the site of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bom Jesus da Lapa.
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Map of Bom Jesus da Lapa - State of Bahia, Brazil
The city is home to the third largest Catholic festival in Brazil, known as the Romaria (Portuguese for "Procession" or "Pilgrimage") of Bom Jesus drawing as many as 800,000 visitors or "Romeiros" to the city annually. For this reason, the city is known as "Capital Baiana da Fé" (The Bahian Capital of Faith).
Bom Jesus da Lapa is distinguished by other cities in the region by its Gothic style wall and nearby caves.
History
It is one of the older towns in Brazil being founded in 1693. It did not reach the status of city until 1953. The name means "Good Jesus of the Grotto." This might relate to a nearby cavern that naturally had "church-like" structures so was converted to a chapel. The chapel began in the seventeenth century and is a significant pilgrimage site in Brazil.
Transportation
The city is served by Bom Jesus da Lapa Airport.