Prudentópolis: City on other side of world, feeling like little Ukraine

If you think the Ukrainian spirit can only be felt in the Carpathians or in Podillia, you’re mistaken. There’s a city where the Ukrainian language, songs, and traditions have survived thousands of kilometers from Kyiv. This city is Prudentópolis in Brazil, often called the “Ukrainian capital of Latin America.”
Where Prudentópolis is located
The city is in the state of Paraná in southern Brazil. It was named after President Prudente de Morais. But for Ukrainians, it’s notable for another reason: it is home to the largest Ukrainian community outside Ukraine.
The old Ukrainian name of the city is Prudentópil.
How Ukrainians ended up in Brazil
The first wave of settlers arrived in the late 19th century, when the Austro-Hungarian Empire faced an economic crisis. People from Galicia, Ternopil, and Ivano-Frankivsk regions sought a better life and migrated to South America. The Brazilian government offered land for settlement, so thousands of Ukrainian families settled here.
Around 1885, approximately 1,500 Ukrainian families (about 8,000 people) settled in the area that is now modern Prudentópolis. Today, there is a district called Nova Galicia in honor of its settlers’ origins.
The city itself was founded in 1894, and Ukrainian migration continued until the mid-1920s.
A second wave began in 1946, when over 200,000 Ukrainians arrived after World War II, including former captured by Germany ostarbeiters (literally, “worker from the east,” the term used by the German authorities to denote workers brought into Nazi Germany from the eastern occupied territories), prisoners of war, and political refugees.
Gate to the city of Prudentópolis in Brazil (photo: Wikipedia)
How many Ukrainians live in Prudentópolis
Today, the city has about 50,000 residents, and over 70% are of Ukrainian descent. This makes Prudentópolis the unofficial capital of the Ukrainian community in Brazil.
The city has Ukrainian schools, churches, and cultural centers. During holidays, carols and folk songs fill the streets. Notably, the Ukrainian language has official status at the municipal level.
Ukrainians began growing vegetables in Brazil, just like at home (photo: Wikipedia)
Tourist attractions
- Byzantine-style churches - over 50 in the city, most built after traditional Ukrainian wooden churches.
- Ukrainian Culture Festival - a colorful celebration featuring embroidered clothing, hopak dances, and varenyky.
- Ukrainian Museum - a small but atmospheric space showcasing settlers’ everyday life.
- Local cuisine - visitors can taste borscht, varenyky, and holubtsi alongside traditional Brazilian feijoada.
There are no high mountains in Prudentopolis, but there are many beautiful waterfalls. Ten of them are over 100 meters high.
There are many beautiful waterfalls near Prudentópolis (photo: Wikipedia)
Why city is special
Prudentópolis is a unique city that shows how Ukrainian culture can thrive anywhere, even on the other side of the world. For travelers in Brazil, it’s worth visiting to experience the Ukrainian spirit abroad.
In 2010, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a law declaring August 24 the national Day of the Ukrainian Community in Brazil.
Read also about Ukraine’s true wonder - the largest underground lake.
Earlier, we wrote about the top thermal resorts in Ukraine and worldwide.
Sources: travel bloggers' stories about Brazil, Wikipedia, Emerging Europe, Tampa Bay Times, Ridna.