A people marked by strength, courage and forward-looking vision.
CONNECTING BUSINESSMEN, ENTREPRENEURS AND INVESTORS TO THE CITY THAT BREATHES DEVELOPMENT.
Welcome to the Invest in Lages catalog, an invitation to discover the countless investment opportunities that await you in Princesa da Serra. This document was carefully prepared to present the economic, social and cultural potential of Lages, highlighting its role as a strategic hub for business and sustainable development. Our purpose is to connect businesspeople, entrepreneurs and investors to the city that combines tradition with innovation.
Here, you will find a detailed overview of the expanding sectors, tax incentives, robust infrastructure, and a fertile environment for business in all areas of activity. From demographic and geographic information to economic and quality of life data, this catalog is a strategic guide for those seeking to invest with confidence and vision for the future.
Lages is more than a dot on the map. It is a center of opportunities in constant transformation, with privileged access to the national and international market, a vibrant entrepreneurial community, and a strong connection to its rich history and culture. With an emphasis on sustainability, continuous development and hospitality, our city positions itself as the ideal place to grow and prosper.
We hope that as you browse these pages, you will not only recognize the potential of Lages, but also be inspired to be part of its growth journey. We are here to help you turn opportunities into achievements.
Welcome to Lages. Here, you plant the seeds of the future and reap the rewards of that investment.
A little about the origins of the
Princess of Mountain
Lages, the beating heart of the Campos de Cima da Serra, carries in its origins the strength of a resilient people, driven by faith, courage, and forward-looking vision. From the first tropeiros who explored our lands to the present day, the city stands as a symbol of tradition, culture, and development.
With a privileged location and a history marked by challenges and achievements, Lages has become the link between Santa Catarina's past and future, connecting cultures, values, and opportunities. The following account, carefully written by Dr. Ronny Albert Westphal, director of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres Hospital, takes us back to the roots of this land that has always welcomed those who believed in its potential.
Santa and Beautiful Catarina, the blessed land of the state we live in, a cherished heritage, our history is beautiful to tell but was arduous to live. How many tears, pains, uncertainties, and trials turned into prayers, faith, and hope. Believing in the future, a new homeland.
There is no record of a civilization built without faith and spirituality; the people of Santa Catarina flourished under the protection of God, Our Lady, and the patron saint, Saint Catherine of Alexandria. A princess, intelligent and very beautiful, she found the true meaning of life in Christ's love, was martyred, and sanctified. Her red and white garments symbolize the colors of our flag. Our paradise is filled with many glories; our multi-ethnic population preserves cultural values that guide everyoneʼs lives and, when combined, make us proud of our Brazil.
It is no different in our home. I will share a little about the fields of Lages, inspired by the Fundação Cultural, the Thiago de Castro Museum, and the book O Continente das Lagens by Licurgo Costa.
Living in our serra was only made possible through the Caminho dos Conventos – Araranguá to Sorocaba in 1728. Later, it was extended from Lages to Viamão, a decisive factor for the local economy. Positioned halfway, it became organized as a resting point where cattle herds fattened for months before continuing the journey.
Due to its strategic geographical location, the Portuguese king Dom José I and his powerful prime minister, the Marquis of Pombal, ordered the governor of São Paulo, Morgado de Matheus, to establish a settlement in the south in 1765. In 1766, in correspondence between Morgado de Matheus and Prime Minister Pombal, the reasons for founding Lages were recorded. It details the important and challenging mission of finding and appointing a capitão-mor capable of leading the endeavor, with Antônio Correia Pinto ultimately being chosen.
It describes the quality of the land, its rivers, potential fruit cultivation, and cattle ranches. The military defense strategy was also established, supporting Laguna and addressing the potential for enemy invasions.
"and by promising him the Hábito de Cristo once the settlement was established, he departed with his entire family in August, and I leave it to Your Excellencyʼs consideration how much it cost me to involve him in this... I gave him an image of Our Lady of Pleasures, which was mine…ˮ
After enormous effort and dedication, the settlement was named Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres do Sertão das Lagens on May 22, 1771, officially founded.
For the next century and a half, history recorded our traditions, struggles, and society. Lages depended decisively, for its economic and social development, on three types of tropeiros: those who drove cattle, those who transported donkeys and horses, and the comboeiro, who carried supplies and salt.
The heroic tropeiros, who unified and founded our homeland, also undertook delicate missions. For example, tropeiro Luiz Schmidt, under the initiative of Frei Rogério Neuhaus and the orders of Colonel Belizário Ramos, was entrusted with transporting three Sisters of Charity – Sister Geórgia, Sister Geralda, and Sister Benevenuta – from Florianópolis to Lages in 1901. They established the school later known as Santa Rosa de Lima. Demonstrating great sensitivity during that journey, Luiz Schmidt brought along his daughter, Josefina Schmidt, to accompany the sisters on a ten-day mule ride.
This act of profound empathy and civility marked the beginning of the Mãe da Divina Providência order in our city, for which we are immensely grateful.
