The region of Curitiba began to be populated by non-Indians around 1630, by people from Paranaguá, where the alluvium gold had been discovered, forming the village of "Our Lady of Light and Good Jesus of Pine Forest", which was became in town in 1693. The Portuguese who founded a village in 1693 gave it the name of "Vila da Nossa Senhora da Luz dos Pinhais" ("Our Lady of the Light in the Pine Forest"). The name was changed to "Curitiba" in 1721. 