There is no such thing as a neighborhood oficially called Maracanã. Maracanã is the name of the river that descends from Tijuca massif and surrounds the stadium, which was the largest in the world, when it was inaugurated during the World Cup in 1950. Other rivers - Joana, Trapicheiros and Rio Comprido - flowed in the region, leaving it permanently flooded much of the year. It was a great and mighty mangrove, unoccupid until the site began to be transformed with drainages, grounds allowing paths for wagons and the opening of streets. In the nineteenth century, urbanization works, canalization of rivers and the passage of the railway brought new residents to the neighborhood (Tijuca, Aldeia Campista and Vila Isabel) and, along with them, the establishment of an area for leisure – a great lawn for the sport that was in fashion at the time, turf, based on bets and horse racing.
It was during the time known as Estado Novo that the construction of a sports arena was designed to demonstrate Brazil’s greatness and the 'best football in the world'. A real colossus built for 200,000 people would occupy part of the land left by Derby Club. The stadium was born patriotic, right beside an unfinished building that would later become the slum Favela do Esqueleto before being evicted, giving way to UERJ. Today, Praça da Bandeira, a place where people usually pass by and don’t spend much time, hides small tree-lined streets and places of the past under highways and viaducts. A new bohemia emerges with the New Maracanã – rich, beautiful, organized, but that still leaves a longing for the people who used to go there before.
The specific construction in site came with the so-called PUB Rio (Urban Basic Plan of Rio de Janeiro), organized during the 1970s and 80s in order to improve the integration of the city. It transformed itself with the refurbishments of Radial Oeste, Trevo das Forças Armadas and the station Praça da Bandeira. The nationalist idea was that a square and the flag would create the new gateway to national progress
Rio’s multiple urban culture can be told in the surroundings of this small bar, housed in a large house on a street underutilized since the works of the subway and train. Right next to one of the most famous regions of prostitution in Rio de Janeiro, Vila Mimosa, part of Rio's underground movement has developed, a micro urban ghetto, attended today by bikers and rockers in addition to the new generation who enjoys funk/ twerk/ bass/ dancehall/ cumbia.
Because the area was bare and easy to access, the National School of Circus is located in a traditional Circus point since the 19th century and early 20th century. The school founded in 1982 by Luis Olimecha and Orlando Miranda promotes the formation and improvement of artists and groups in the circus arts and has 200 students, giving a professional stamp to an activity until recently considered marginal in Brazil.
The large house located in a bucolic little street honors the composer Wilson Moreira, born in Realengo and one of the founders of the samba school Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel. Author of "Deixa Clarear", "Judia de mim", "Mania de gente" e "Alô Gatinha", he created the Grêmio Recreativo Artes Negras and the School of samba Quilombo, icons of a popular and combative black movement.
The institute was established by one of the greatest educators of the country, Anísio Teixeira, who proposed the foundation of what would be a National Education Plan and transformed the old Escola Normal in the Institute of Education in 1932. Today, ISERJ remains focused on Pedagogy and also in the colleges of Tourism and Computer Science, and is no longer an idealized school for girls who would have their instruction, start working and abandon their career to get married.
Built in the nineteenth century, the pink facade mansion on General Canabarro street belongs to the Army. It got its name in 1950 in reference to Laguna Battle in the Paraguayan War, a controversial moment in the relations between Brazil and Paraguay. It is said that the commander of the Brazilian troops, though victorious at first, faced strong Paraguayan resistance and was forced to a retreat - where only 700 men would have survived.
Although it received the name of Mario Filho, Nelson Rodrigues’ brother and founder of Jornal dos Sports, the stadium was always called Maracanã. It was built in order to make Brazil the seat of a World Cup, however, the first world championship would only take place eight years later in Sweden. An allegory that should represent all Brazilian players who won the Cup in 1958 was placed on the stadium’s door and passed to posterity as Bellini, the team captain, tall and white, who lifted the trophy.
The history of UERJ starts in 1950 with the founding of the University of the Federal District (UDF), which was spread throughout a number of buildings in the city until it was finally assembled in large blocks of concrete next to Maracanã. The campus was built on the site of an old unfinished hospital and occupied by a community, known as Favela do esqueleto, removed to Vila Kennedy in the 60s.
Well before soccer, the area occupied today by our "Colosseum" played host to other European sports icon: turf. Derby Club of Rio de Janeiro, which used to stand on the area, was founded in 1885 to host horse competitions in its lawns. The large space received races, polo matches, horse riding and horse jumping competitions until it started to become less popular and the competition was transferred to the region of Gávea and Jardim Botânico in
1932.
The area that was a mangrove in the early days, Praça da Bandeira, was landfilled to improve the connection between downtown and the other areas of the city - a passage that was made mostly by rivers or the Guanabara Bay up until that time. What was not taken into consideration, though, was the force of nature and the geographic basin which naturally floods in summer and renews the bay waters. If the tide is high and there is a pouring rain, flooding is to be expected!
Birthday: unknown
Death: not proven
Team: Fluminense
Home: Maracanã
Sobrenatural de Almeida was a picturesque character created by Nelson Rodrigues in his chronicles about soccer. The supernatural, “number one enemy” of goalkeepers and attackers would make a defensible ball get into the goal. Faced with a deadly counterattack, the player would make a right wing trip over his own feet. He would take the ball carefully thrown by the forward and make it neatly hit the crossbar or roll out the goal line, to the utter despair of the other players
Between the 50s and 60s, Maracanã became the King Pelé’s favorite stage. It was in the stadium that Pelé’s team, Santos became world second time Champion in the Clubes league and also where the skilled player, who was all about talent, beat Argentine player Andrada in his thousandth goal. Already in the 70s and 80s, the home of Clube de Regatas do Flamengo wittnessed the shine of “era Zico”. The red and black team still boasts the reputation of greatest champion in the history of the stadium where the most beloved Brazilian fans cry loudly: "Once Flamengo, forever Flamengo!"
The culinary vocation of Praça da Bandeira owes much to the prestige of Katia Barbosa, chef of the house. She created her famous feijoada dumpling in the house, a light dough delicacy stuffed with cabbage and fried bacon, now an icon of Rio's gastronomy. The flagship of the kitchen can be consumed on site or taken frozen to be fried at home. The house also offers over 100 different beer labels to choose from.
Address: 245, Barão de Iguatemi street
Phone: (21) 2273 1035
website: https://www.facebook.com/aconchego.carioca
This vintage concept bar is a mix of thrift shop, with room for parties and film screenings. It serves snacks and drinks to the sound of rock and roll, ska and reggae.
Address: 24, Lopes de Souza st.
Phone: (21) 2574-9380
Website: https://www.facebook.com/PortoPirata/timeline
One of the most traditional teams of Brazilian football, América was seven times carioca champion, the last time in 1960, and was considered the fifth force of Rio de Janeiro - next to Flamengo, Fluminense, Vasco and Botafogo. In 2011, it was demoted in the Carioca Championship and had to embitter the access division for four consecutive years. It became more popular as the team supported by the former star player and now Senator, Romário.
Address: 274, Gonçalves Crespo street
Phone: (21) 2569-2060
Website: http://www.americario.com.br/2015/index.asp
