Fernando de Noronha, located in Pernambuco state, was the first hereditary captaincy of Brazil. The islands were discovered by Gonçalo Coelho in 1503, and in 1504, King Manuel I established the division of the Brazilian colony into hereditary captaincies. He then granted the archipelago to Fernão de Noronha, a navigator and trader of brazilwood. The archipelago became known as the hereditary captaincy of São João, marking the first in the history of Brazil.

Before becoming the tourist paradise we know today, Fernando de Noronha, located in Pernambuco state, served as a detention center from 1737 to 1972. After this period, the location also functioned as a prison solely for political prisoners. During World War II, Fernando de Noronha became a federal territory to provide strategic advantages to Brazil during the war. In 1988, the destination became a district of the state of Pernambuco.

Sancho Beach in Fernando de Noronha, located in Pernambuco state, has been voted the “best beach in the world” five times by the users of the travel review website TripAdvisor.

Sancho Beach boasts crystal-clear emerald-green waters, and you can observe vast coral reefs with a diverse marine life. Because of this, the location is one of the best spots for snorkeling in Brazil.

There is a small highway that runs through the entire island of Fernando de Noronha, located in Pernambuco state, known as BR-363. It serves as the main route on the island for buses, motorcycles, cars, and buggies. Stretching just 7 km in length, it is the smallest highway in Brazil and the only one in the country that is not connected to any other national or state highway.

Throughout its history and due to its geographical location, several ships and vessels have passed through the area, and some of them have been wrecked. Here are the main shipwrecks near Fernando de Noronha, located in Pernambuco state:

Shipwreck Corveta Ipiranga V17 One of Brazil’s most famous shipwrecks, the Navy Corveta V17 Ipiranga, lies at a depth of 70 meters in the waters of Ponta da Sapata off Fernando de Noronha. Well-preserved and mostly intact, the vessel holds numerous abandoned objects within its interior.

The cause of the accident was a collision with the rock formation called “Cabeça da Sapata.” At the time of the accident, the Corveta V17 was on a routine patrol along the northeastern coast of Brazil. The ship sank slowly without any casualties, and the crew was rescued with the help of local island fishermen.

Shipwreck Maria Stathatos One of the Greek ships registered in Fernando de Noronha, the Maria Stathatos was discovered in 2014. It rests parallel to the coastline and is positioned behind another Greek ship, the Eleni Stathatos.

The Maria Stathatos anchored in Fernando de Noronha on June 9, 1937, and caught fire for unknown reasons. The crew abandoned the vessel, and the Greek ship burned down, leaving only the wreckage behind.

Shipwreck Eleni Stathatos The Eleni Stathatos is another Greek ship registered near Fernando de Noronha. According to local residents, the captain deliberately ran the ship onto the rocks on the island’s southern side for unknown reasons. After the collision, with two massive breaches in the bow, the ship sailed to the northern side of the island and became grounded at the Porto de Santo Antônio.

The ship was loaded with railway material destined for a railroad in Argentina, along with other valuable goods. It remained stranded for several months and was eventually abandoned by the crew.

Since 2004, the local government has closed the maternity ward on Fernando de Noronha, located in Pernambuco state, as the costs did not justify its maintenance. Consequently, all pregnant women need to leave the island during their seventh month of pregnancy. They are transported to Recife, Pernambuco, and the government covers the costs of their travel and accommodations. Even if born in Recife, the children can be registered as natives of Noronha.

Fernando de Noronha, located in Pernambuco state, is one of the world’s premier diving destinations and has also served as a unique wedding backdrop. In 1991, an American couple tied the knot underwater at the Ponta da Sapata.

In 2017, a couple of residents of Fernando de Noronha opted for a wedding at the Caverna da Sapata, one of the island’s most important diving spots, at a depth of 16 meters. The certified diving couple had originally planned a traditional church wedding but decided to unite in advance with an underwater ceremony.