The first inhabitants of the region were runaway slaves who found shelter in the Quilombos in the hills of Pretos Forros. Crossed by Brazil’s Central Railroad, the history of Méier has been intertwined with the history of the trains. The anniversary of its station is considered the foundation date of the neighborhood: May 13th, 1889. Today, it presents two distinct urbanfeatures : a more agitated one, in the area of Dias da Cruz St., and another one, calmer and more residential. In the 50s, the neighborhood grew enormously, both demographic and commercially. In 1954, The “Imperator” , the largest movie theater in Latin America at the time, was constructed there, In 1963 the 1st shopping center in Brazil opened in Méier.
Méier has recently been the stage for intense cultural movements among them, it is worth mentioning the reopening of the doors of its traditional “Imperator” and the arrival of a gift to its streets - a statue of a Lion- the neighborhood’s symbol. Is it a decadent area? Well, we are talking about Méier! Maybe the neighborhood does need more attention, but the beer is still cold, it has codfish balls – the best in town – and if you want to know a little bit more about it , you won’t have any regrets, for sure.
Opened in 1919, Méier’s Garden is a project of architects Pedro Viana da Silva and Archimedes José da Silva. Built in an area of 13 thousand square meters, which was once the farm belonging to Dr. Arquias Cordeiro, the garden was, for many decades, the main entertainment of the families of the neighborhood. It was also the place where politicians made their campaign speeches, and where religious gatherings and concerts took place.
Address: Praça Jardim do Méier, s/n
Image Credits: Acervo Inepac / Pedro Oswaldo Cruz
Located on the street Coração de Maria, this Basilica is the only temple in the city in Moorish style. Inspired by the Temple of Santa Maria La Blanca in Toledo, Spain, it was designed by the Portuguese architect Luís de Moraes, who also drew the ground plant of Instituto Oswaldo Cruz’s castle. It is actually a Basilica, which, in architecture, is the term used since the time of the ancient Hellenics to designate a large covered space.
Address: R. Coração de Maria, 52 - Meier.
Phone: (21) 2501-3553
Image Credits: O Globo / Felipe Hanower
Salgado Filho began its activities in October 12, 1920, under the name of “Serviço Auxiliar do Pronto Socorro do Méier”. On November 28, 1951, its name was changed to “Dispensário do Méier”. Only on March 27, 1963, it was given its current name.
Address: R. Arquias Cordeiro, 370
Phone: (21) 3111-4100
Image Credits: www.economia.estadao.com.br
At the corner of the Streets Dias da Cruz and Hermengarda, there is a lion guarding the entrance to Méier. The statue was inaugurated on June 27, 1989, in honor of the lion from the Lions Club, and, today, it is one of the symbols of the neighborhood. Yellowish in hue, it had its genitals anonymously painted in red. It was restored and repainted several times, which became gossip in the neighborhood.
Address: At the corner of Rua Dias da Cruz with Rua Hemengarda
Image Credits: Leandro Mendes
Located on Dias da Cruz Street, the mall was designed by architect João Henrique Rocha and opened to the public in 1963. It is claimed to be the “oldest shopping mall in the country”, as it was indeed founded before the Iguatemi in São Paulo (1966).
Address: R. Dias da Cruz, 255.
Phone: (21) 2597-5772
Image Credits: Viktor Chagas
Opened in 1954 as Cine Imperator, the largest cinema in Latin America so far, it has become a reference in the city. In 1991 it was adapted to house a concert hall, where it has hosted Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, Tom Jobim, Caetano Veloso, Gal Costa, Tim Maia, Roberto Carlos, Barão Vermelho, until 1996, year of its closure. In 2012, it reopened as Cultural Center João Nogueira.
Address:Endereço: R. Dias da Cruz, 170
Website: www.imperator.art.br
Image Credits: Léo Martins
The school grew out of an initiative of Dr. Adauto Miranda Raposo da Câmara, historian, writer and intellectual coming from Natal (RN), who decided to turn an old house into a gym and opened the school in 1932. In 1942, , the Metropolitan Gymnasio was elevated to the category of school, by the President of Brazil’s decree, which meant, by the legislation of the time, that the school had absolute autonomy to decide its own destiny, without the direct interference of the state.
Address: R. Lopes da Cruz, 176
Phone: (21) 3271-5211
Inspired by the Temple of Santa Maria La Blanca in Toledo, Spain, Basílica Imaculado Coração de Maria was designed by the Portuguese architect Luís de Moraes, who also drew the ground plant for the castle of the Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. It is said to be the only Moorish Catholic church in Rio, or even in Brazil. Still others say it is the only temple mozárabe. Currently, the church is flanked by a large cross on its left , built by the Sendas family and donated to the faithful.
The neighborhood is named after Augusto Duque Estrada Meyer, son of Commander Miguel João Meyer, Portuguese of German origins and one of the richest men of the city in the late 18th century. In 1884, D. Pedro II gave Augusto part of the sugarcane farm that encompassed the regions of Engenho Novo, Cachambi and São Cristóvão. Because of him, the region came to be known as “Meyer” (pronounced "Maier"even in Portuguese, at that time ). Later on, it came to be called , “Méier”, the way the name sounds to Brazilians.
Among the historical and cultural personalities born in Méier, these ones stand out: writers Lima Barreto and Arthur Azevedo, journalist Dias da Cruz, physicians Lins de Vasconcelos and Arquias Cordeiro, actor and journalist Eduardo Magalhães, Minister General Dionísio Cerqueira, samba artist Araci de Almeida, composer Waldir Azevedo, journalist Fátima Bernardes and comedian Millôr Fernandes. The actors Márcio Garcia, Chico Tenreiro, Adriana Esteves, Taís Araújo, Samara Felippo and Jorge Fernando were also born there.
The collective promotes concerts and art events in Agripino Grieco Square with bands, singers, DJs, graffiti, samba artists and cultural activities.
Address: Agripino Grieco Square s/n - Méier
Opening Hours: Every Sunday from 5pm
Website: www.facebook.com/leaoetiopedomeier
Image Credits: Marina Andrade
“The truth is: I drank too much and that’s when I bought the joint…” This is how Marcelo Novaes, owner of Cachambeer, talks about the beginning of the “bum bar”, which he kept next to his house only to drink with friends. Nowadays, the joint is a huge bar and is famous for the largest smoked rib in the city, among many other ethyl-gastronomical options.
Address: 475, Cachambi St. - Cachambi
Phone: (21) 3597-2002
Website: https://www.facebook.com/cachambeer/
Image Credits: Alice de Marchi
The concert hall is a scenario for culture and entertainment combining space for shows with cinema, theater and art gallery. It has a bistro, the Imaculada Imperator, a branch of Bar Imaculada in Morro da Conceição.
Address: 170, Dias da Cruz St.
Phone: (21) 2597-3897
Website: www.imperator.art.br
Image Credits: Léo Martins
Traditional Portuguese food restaurant, it became known outside the neighborhood after welcoming the illustrious visitors actor Will Smith, rapper Kanye West and his wife, model Kim Kardashian, in 2013.
Address: 426, Dias da Cruz St. - Méier
Phone: (21) 3822-8200
Website: www.casadobacalhaudomeier.com.br
Image Credits: Thiago Lontra / Extra
The region between the Streets Dias da Cruz, Magalhães Couto and Galdino Pimentel is packed with bars, beer gardens, restaurants and new dining options such as Espetto Carioca, Cevada's Beer Bar, Bar do Adão and Armazém 11.
Address: Dias da Cruz St. between the streets Magalhães Couto and Hugo Bezerra
Image Credits:
Built for the Pan American Games in 2007, the Stadium Nilton Santos was erected by the City Hall in the ancient land of the Federal Railroad Network in Engenho de Dentro, with a capacity for 46,000 spectators. In addition to the 105 x 68m football field with natural grass, the stadium has a running track and an attachment field for training. It is commercially exploited by the club Botafogo. Due to structural problems, it remained closed for two years, reopening in February, 2015.
Address: 425, José dos Reis St.
Phone: (21) 2597-9775
Image Credits:
