Palhoça

Palhoça is a municipality in Santa Catarina, Brazil. Palhoça was founded in 1793, when the city was part of the way between Lages and Florianópolis in order to protect the capital state from possible invasions. Its name comes from "straw roof", named such because of the large number of houses with this kind of roof when the first Palhoça citizens were natives.[citation needed] Palhoça is located in the greater Florianópolis region. It is bordered on the north by São José, on the west by Santo Amaro da Imperatriz, on the south by Paulo Lopes, on the east by Santa Catarina Island south bay and on the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean.