Torres, Rio Grande do Sul

Torres is a Brazilian municipality located at the northernmost point of the Atlantic coast in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city's landscape is distinguished as the only beach in Rio Grande do Sul featuring prominent rocky cliffs along the shoreline, and it is home to the state's sole maritime island, Ilha dos Lobos.

The area now occupied by the city has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years, with physical evidence in the form of middens and other archaeological findings. In the 17th century, during the Portuguese colonization of Brazil, the region's location within a narrowing of the southern coastal plain made it a mandatory passage for tropeiros and other Portuguese-Brazilian explorers and adventurers traveling south along the coast—the only alternative route was over the Vacaria plateau. These travelers sought the free-roaming cattle herds multiplying in the southern pampas and hunted indigenous peoples to enslave them. Many settled in the area, becoming ranchers and small-scale farmers. Due to its coastal hills, the area was soon recognized for its strategic value as a vantage point for observation and control, holding military and political significance in the Portuguese expansion over Spanish territory. A fortification was established there in the late 18th century, but it was soon dismantled once the conquest was secured.

The construction of the Church of Saint Dominic in the early 19th century drew many scattered residents to its surroundings, forming the nucleus of a village. However, its development throughout the century was slow, despite receiving waves of German and Italian immigrants, and it relied on a largely subsistence economy. Significant economic, social, and urban growth began in the early 20th century when the city's scenic beauty, mild climate, and inviting beaches were recognized for their tourism potential and began to be developed. Since then, Torres has grown more robustly and rapidly, becoming one of the most sought-after beaches in the state, attracting a monthly floating population of 200,000 during the summer, many of whom are foreigners, primarily from the La Plata Basin countries. This contrasts with its permanent population of approximately 38,000 residents. Despite this, the city has developed a solid economy and infrastructure to meet this tourist demand, its primary source of income.

While tourism has brought progress and growth, positioning the city as a state hub for events, festivals, sports competitions, performances, and other attractions, it has also introduced significant environmental and cultural challenges. Once covered by the Atlantic Forest, an area of particularly rich biodiversity due to the diverse environments created by its complex geography, this natural heritage is now severely threatened and greatly diminished, with few preserved areas remaining. Many species have already been lost, and others are at risk. Reports also highlight issues of property speculation, pollution, poverty, and crime, all serious problems common in cities experiencing rapid growth. This expansion has also negatively impacted the city's historical and artistic heritage, as neither official institutions nor the population have yet developed sufficient awareness to slow the rapid pace of active destruction and passive loss of tangible and intangible cultural assets.