The history of Fortaleza began in 1649, when the second Dutch expedition arrived in the state of Ceará.
This new expedition built Fort Schoonenborch on the banks of the Pajeú River, later renamed "Fortress of Our Lady of the Assumption".
In 1726, the fort was elevated to the status of a town and to a city in 1823, by Emperor Pedro I of Brazil. Calling it Fortress of Nova Bragança and, later, Fortress of Our Lady of the Assumption.
The industrial and commercial development of the city was driven by the export of cotton to England. This accelerated the growth of the city and the region, with the construction of railways that transported agricultural production from the interior to the port.
The construction of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Fortaleza began in 1938, and was inaugurated in 1978. It was carried out according to the project of the French architect George Maunier.
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