recognized as a conservation area, in june of 1937, the parque national do itatiaia is brazil's oldest national park, and distinguishes itself for the wide ranges of natural landscapes in it.while official roots date back to 1927, when this land was a biological station for the study of local biome, rocks, and water formations, the idea for a national park was actually proposed much earlier, in 1876.

the park was extended in september of 1982 and now covers the municipalities of itatiaia, resende in the state of rio de janeiro, and bocaina de minas and itamonte, both in the state of minas gerais - approximately 60 percent of the territory is located in minas gerais.