Rondonópolis, Mato Grosso (Brazil) (original) (raw)

Quarterly red and blue with a white-fimbriated black cross; overall the municipal coat of arms on a white disk. The coat of arms shows the Brazilian explorer and Indian rights advocate Marshal Cándido Rondón, for whom the city is named, between two cows' heads and above a factory.
Source: Official municipal website
Joseph McMillan, 13 March 2003

The municipality of Rondonópolis (198,949 inhabitants in 2010, therefore the 3rd most populous municipality in Mato Grosso; 4,165 sq. km) is located in southeastern Mato Grosso, 230 km of Cuiabá.

Rondonópolis is named for Marshal Cândido Rondon (1865-1958), who managed the set up of telegraphic lines linking Amazonas and Mato Grosso to the rest of the country. In 1922, a telegraph post was inaugurated on the bank of Rio Vermelho ("Red River"). State Decree-Law no. 395 of 10 August 1915 organized the colonization of the region of Rio Vermelho, setting up an area of 2,000 ha for the building of a future settlement. Municipal Law 2,777 of 22 October 1997 prescribed 10 August 1915 as the official date of foundation of Rondonópolis. In 1918, Otávio Pitaluga obtained the renaming of the village as Rondonópolis. Rondonópolis was made in 1920 a district of the municipality of Santo Antônio do Leverger. In the next decade, epidemics decreased the population of the district while the diamond rush (1924) caused the boost of Poxoréo. Accordingly, Poxoréo was made a municipality in 1938 by State Law No. 218, with Rondonópolis as one of its districts. Rondonópolis reemerged in 1947 as the agricultural "last frontier" of Mato Grosso, and was made a municipality on 10 December 1953. Agriculture was significantly modernized in the 1960s-1980s, so that Rondonópolis became in 1990 the "Agribusiness Capital" of Brazil.

The municipal symbols of Rondonópolis, designed by Arcionoe Antônio Peixoto de Faria, are prescribed by Municipal Law No. 426 of 13 May 1975. They are mentioned in Article 11 of the Municipal Statutes, adopted on 5 May 1990, which say that the municipal colors are the colors of the flag.

The Samnitic shield, introduced from France to Portugal, symbolizes the Latin race as the main colonist and founder of the Brazilian nation. The mural crown is the heraldic representation of power; its eight towers represent a town of second rank. The red gates represent the directions given by the leaders of the municipality. The blue color of the field is a symbol of justice, nobleness, perseverance, zeal and loyalty. In the upper part of the shield, a medallion argent is charged with a portrait proper of Marshal Rondon, the namesake of the municipality. The silver color represents peace, friendship, work, prosperity, purity and religious feeling. Flanking the medallion, two beef cattle's heads represents cattle breeding, the main source of income of the municipality when the arms were created. In the lower part of the shield, a red fess wavy represents Rio Vermelho. The fishes recalls that the rivers is highly prized by anglers. Gold is a symbol of glory, splendor, highness, wealth and sovereignty. The supporters, cotton and rice, represents the main products of the fertile soil.

http://www.rondonopolis.mt.gov.br/?pg=conteudo&intCatID=124- Municipal website

Ivan Sache, 27 January 2012