Before becoming a residential neighborhood, the region of Urca went through two distinct phases: in the 16th century, it was under the Portuguese rule in the fight against the French. It became known as the city's birthplace besides being the place where the myth of Saint Sebastian as protector of the city of Rio de Janeiro came to existence. The second phase took place in the 19th century, with the fair in celebration of the fourth centenary of the opening of the ports. It was at that time that Urca witnessed its shift into an important military center. Nowadays, the neighborhood keeps the memory of Cassino da Urca and houses two major universities, in addition to being the neighborhood of one of the most visited sights of the city, the Sugar Loaf.
The Naval School of War, EGN, moved to its current address in 1970. Previously, it was located at the former Ministry of the Navy and the Naval Academy structure, at Rua Dom Manoel, downtown. It was founded by President Marechal Hermes da Fonseca, on June 11, 1914, and reorganized by Getulio Vargas, years later, in 1930.
Image Credits: www.paysagem.com.br
Designed by architects Archimedes Memória and Francisco Cuchet, the old Cassino was erected in 1920/22 as a resort hotel and turned out to make history by hosting Urca’s casino, a stronghold of the bourgeoisie and a stage for renowned artists of the time. Afterwards, It was converted into the headquarters for TV Tupi, the first television station in Latin America Nowadays, it houses the European Institute of Design (IED).
Address: 13, João Luis Alves Ave. - Urca
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday from 10am to 9pm
Website: www.ied.edu.br/rio/cursos/
Image Credits: Fabio Rossi
The Brazilian people owe to a young, blind, Brazilian named José Alves de Azevedo, the idea of founding an establishment where the visually impaired youth would be properly educated. In its first century of existence, the Institute housed 7,664 students, a figure that exceeded 10,000 at the 110th anniversary of the institution.
Address: 350-368, Pasteur Ave. - Urca
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm
Website: www.ibc.gov.br
Image Credits: www.ibc.gov.br
Designed to host the Faculty of Medicine in 1884, it was only after the National Exhibition Commemorative of the Centenary of the Opening of the Ports in Brazil, in 1908, that it acquired its purpose – serving as headquarters for Geological and Mineralogical Service of Brazil. It also hosted the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Department of Mineral Production and the Ministry of Mines and Energy, until it became the Company of Research of Mineral Resources.
Address: 404, Pasteur Ave. - Urca
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday from 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 5pm
Website: www.cprm.gov.br
Image Credits: Flickr / Usuário: Sensata57
The school is all that remains of the Pavilion of the State of Minas Gerais, built in 1907 for the 1908 great National Exhibition in Praia Vermelha. In 1933 it became a school, whose premises carry a panel of the 50s by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) composed of 91 tiles, representing the Dove of Peace.
Image Credits: Hudson Pontes
The university palace was erected in 1842 to host an institution for the treatment of the insane. Throughout its history, it has changed its name several times: until 1890, it was called Hospício Pedro II; until 1937 – Hospício Nacional de Alienados; up to 1944 – Hospital Psiquiátrico da Praia Vermelha; On this occasion, about 3000 inmates were transferred to Juliano Moreira and the building was abandoned. In 1948, it was then donated to “Universidade do Brasil” and underwent a renovation. Today, it houses several courses of UFRJ.
Address: 250, Pasteur Ave. - Urca
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm
Website: www.ufrj.br
Image Credits: commons.wikimedia.org
Upon returning to Brazil, after a season of two years in the US, Carmen Miranda was welcomed with applause by the Carioca people. However, in a presentation at Cassino da Urca, she was labeled “Americanized” by the bourgeoisie. Some time later, she recorded her last albums in Brazil, in which she responded in good humor to those accusations: “They said I came back Americanized”, composed by Luiz Peixoto and Vicente Paiva, especially for her.
The origin of the name “Urca” is prior to the construction of the planned neighborhood in 1922. In a set of 18th century letters, the name is already mentioned in reference to one of the Sugar Loaf hills complex as “Penedo da Urca”. It most likely derives from the similarity to the vessel "Urca Flemish", which was used to transport sugar loaves (brown sugar cones) from the producing areas to the Flanders region, having the shape of the hill that houses the cable car.
Cassino da Urca was so called after being acquired by a gambling businessman Joaquim Rolla. The hotel spa was built to accommodate tourists in 1922 and had its heydays before the ban of gambling in the country. In those days, major national and international stage names such as Josephine Baker, Maurice Chevalier, Mistinguett, Carmen Miranda, Cartola, Oscarito and Grande Otelo performed memorable shows in its stage.
It was a Brazilian engineer, Augusto Ferreira Ramos, who had the idea of building a cable car to the Sugar Loaf in 1908, which saw the celebration of the centenary of the opening of the ports to friendly nations. The Federal City Hall authorized the construction and operation of the air route, which would include three lines: one connecting Praia Vermelha to the top of Morro da Urca (opened in 1912); another one connecting Morro da Urca to Sugar Loaf (1913) and a third one, connecting Morro da Urca to the top of Morro da Babilônia.
Two legends are part of the collective imagination involving the Sugar Loaf Mountain. One refers to the figure of an old man who was named the Guardian of the Stone According to the legend, that figure would be St. Peter embracing the stone of the Sugar Loaf, a representation of the Church. The other legend refers to the shadow that resulted from the cavity of the stone, about 120 meters high. This shadow was supposed to be the silhouette of a wading bird, called Sugar Loaf’s Ibis.
When Estacio de Sá founded the city of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, in 1565, the complex of hills in Urca, Cara de Cão and Sugar Loaf made up Ilha da Trindade. Around the 17th century, there was a landfill in order to link the island to the mainland, which led to the current Praia Vermelha. It was then, in the 1920s, that Urca came into existence and landfills were run for the emergence of the neighborhood, which was fully planned.
The concrete wall that overlooks Botafogo, Centro and Niterói became a trendy place for gathering and is usually crowded in the late afternoon, especially in front of bars such as Garota da Urca and Bar Urca. The latter is a corner townhouse that serves ice cold bottled beer. From the site one can see a small picturesque marina where boats float.
Address: 205, Cândido Gaffrée St. – Urca
Phone: (21) 2295-8744
Website: www.barurca.com.br
Image Credits: Veja Rio
Also open on Sundays, with a collection of minerals, rocks, meteorites and fossils, it offers visitors a rare opportunity to appreciate both the beautiful natural forms of crystals and the scientific information on various geological materials.
Address: 404, Pasteur Ave. - Urca
Opening Hours: 10am to 4pm
Phone: (21) 2295-4746
Site: http://www.cprm.gov.br/publique/Sobre-a-CPRM/Nossos-Museus/Museu-de-Ciencias-da-Terra---MCTer-180
Image Credits: www.rio.rj.gov.br
With multidisciplinary features, this school has established itself as one of the main Brazilian references in teaching, production and thinking about photography and contemporary image.
Address: 453, Pasteur Ave. - Urca
Phone: (21) 2244-5660
Website: www.ateliedaimagem.com.br
Image Credits: lastroarte.com
Opened in May 2014, the Istituto Europeo di Design - IED Rio is located at Praia da Urca, at the charming building that housed Cassino da Urca and TV Tupi. Its goal is to develop a training and innovation center dedicated to Design, Fashion, Visual Arts and Creative Economy.
Address: Av.João Luis Alves, 13 - Urca
Phone: 21 3683 3786
Website: www.ied.edu.br/rio
Image Credits: www.annaramalho.com.br
With support bases in Praia da Urca and Praia Vermelha, “Urca,RJ”, promotes Hawaiian or Polynesian canoe as a physical activity and as a competitive sport, preserving and disseminating the values, traditions and culture of the inhabitants of the Pacific Islands.
Address: Praia da Urca Base: The rack and the support cabin are located on the left side of the beach, next to the IED (European Institute of Design) in front of Belmonte.
Phone: (21) 99563-7174
Website: https://www.canoapolinesia.com.br/
Image Credits: canoahavaianarj.com.br
The 1.2 km path bypasses Morro da Urca almost to the end of Sugar Loaf Mountain and can be approached from Praia Vermelha. It is an excellent leisure option for those who enjoy running, walking, climbing or even mountain climbing. From its track, you have access to Morro da Urca on foot.
Image Credits: Paulo A. Teixeira
The strip of sand between Morro da Urca and Morro da Babilônia is fought over on weekends by events such as sports, fairs, concerts and other outdoor leisure activities The place is crowded at night too, highlights for the luaus on full moon nights – the beach offers a prime front view of the moonrise.
image Credits: Facebook El Miraculoso Samba Jazz
