The history of Laranjeiras is geographically linked to the Carioca river. In the 17th century, the clear waters attracted wealthy owners to the valley formerly called Carioca - the name Laranjeiras (orange trees) appeared in the 18th century, when the region formed by the river’s basin was fragmented in distinct areas: Catete, Flamengo and Gloria. The land that went until Cosme Velho had a small number of farms, for agricultural and residential use. The fame of being an aristocratic neighborhood is due in part to the presence of Princess Elizabeth in the palace located at Guanabara St., currently Pinheiro Machado St. in the second half of the 19th century.
In 1880, the implementation of the textile company Companhia de Fiações e Tecidos Aliança at General Glicério St. with a working village right next door granted an industrial aspect to Laranjeiras. There was no traffic in the area until the opening of the first tunnel in the city, in 1887, at the top of Alice Street, and later with the completion of the cut of Novo Mundo hill, connecting Pinheiro Machado and Farani streets. Works such as the underground channeling of the Carioca river, the opening of Santa Barbara and Rebouças tunnels and major real estate developments in the 20th century, changed completely the neighborhood of ranches and mansions. The new millennium brought back the chorinho to the gazebo in the square, an old touch that will escort Rolé Carioca through Laranjeiras.
One of the city's busiest squares, Largo do Machado has already been called Duque de Caxias and Largo da Gloria, although it has always been known as Largo do Machado – which has nothing to do with Machado de Assis (the famous Brazilian writer) .The most likely origin for the name is that the owner of the land in the 18th century was called André Nogueira Machado. Later on, the square was marked by a big axe placed in front of a butcher shop
Not to be confused with the Church of Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro! Nossa Senhora da Glória Church was completed in 1872 and during a few decades, lent its name to the square. Its architecture resembles the parish Saint Martin in the Fields, located in Trafalgar Square, next to the National Gallery in London.
Built in 1875 by order of Dom Pedro II, the building is furnished in eclectic style with several neoclassical traces and, after 1939, hosted Faculdade Nacional de Filosofia (National Faculty of Philosophy). Soon after, it housed the high school that had, among its illustrious pupils, the presenter and owner of SBT (Brazilian TV network) Silvio Santos.
During the 20’s, the gardens projected by the French landscape designer Gérard Cochet were part of Eduardo Guinle’s palace - today the official residence of the Governor, Palacio Laranjeiras. Later, the park area received interventions from Burle Marx. Built in the 50’s by Lucio Costa, the first housing development with traces of modern architecture targeted at the carioca elite is nestled at the neighborhood.
Once a former slave quarter and a barn of a farm that occupied the grounds of Parque Guinle during the Empire, the site had its stalls adapted to boxes in 1942, when Getúlio Vargas decided to turn it into a market of fruits and vegetables to supply the population. It was abandoned in the 60’s, revitalized and transformed into a cultural center in 1988.
Founded in July 1902, the Club is considered the first in the country created specifically as a football club. Initially, the team used a bicolor uniform, white and grey - but then they adopted the three colors which became the signature of the team. In 1905, the assembly of a permanent grandstand, the first of the carioca football, led to the construction of the stadium located in Laranjeiras, officially opened in 1919.
-desktop.png)
-mobile.png)
Currently the official headquarters of Rio’s government, the palace belonged to the imperial family from 1865 until the Proclamation of the Republic, when it was confiscated and transferred to the Union-until today a legal process tries to regain possession, since compensation for the expropriation was never received. It was used by President Getúlio Vargas as official residence during the Estado Novo. Between 1946 and 1960, it hosted the City Hall of the Federal District until the creation of Estado da Guanabara.
In recent years, the square became the center of the bohemian neighborhood, with live music and became a meeting point for demonstrations. Artists, intellectuals, young people and families changed the face of the old square, which houses a beautiful fountain from the French foundation Val d´Osne with a sculpture of Louis Sauvageau, installed on the square since 1903.
The most obvious source of the name Laranjeiras is related to the many orange trees that existed in the area, although the history is controversial. Historians rely on reports from English writer and painter Maria Graham, who portrayed the region during her stay in Brazil, between 1821 and 1825. At that time, however, there were many more coffee than orange trees over there. Furthermore, the name Laranjeiras denominates a known neighborhood in Lisbon, a country houses zone near the center of the city, and may have been used accordingly in Brazil.
"No resident of the mansion at Guanabara Street will have tranquility while living there". Rumor has it that a slave exploited during the construction of the building has launched this curse, proven through facts by the most skeptical ones: the first governor to occupy the Palace, Princess Elizabeth, was expelled with the Proclamation of the Republic; Marshal Hermes da Fonseca’s wife died after her husband took office and moved to the mansion; King Albert of Belgium had an accident and died soon after staying at the palace; the President Washington Luiz was overthrown while he was living there.
"Choro” is the musical soul of the Brazilian people," said Villa Lobos, illustrious inhabitant of Ipiranga St. It was in Rio de Janeiro that the first urban popular music typically Brazilian emerged in the mid-19th century. Chorinho originated from local interpretations of foreign rhythms heard in halls (waltz, mazurka, quadrilha, modinha, minuet, polka and xote) and on the streets (batuque and lundu). The dialogue between these genres, combined with the virtuosity of its performers, led to “chorinho”, a new, primarily instrumental, musical style.
Founded in 1857, the institute was the first school for the hearing impaired in Brazil and is currently the national center of reference in the field of deafness in Brazil, linked to the Ministry of education. INES offers early, primary and secondary childhood education in its Colegio de Aplicação, with approximately 600 students. It has extensive educational material production, speech therapies and videos in sign language.
Address: 232, Laranjeiras St.
Website: http://www.ines.gov.br/
There are two gatherings of chorinho that must be visited in the neighborhood. The one in General Glicério begins around noon on Saturday and often ends in samba with the participation of renowned samba artists. Praça São Salvador‘s Arruma o Coreto happens on Sundays and is formed by Ana (flute), Mariana (bandolin), Mario (tambourines), Félix, Gilberto, Tabata and Alexandre (guitars) and Maria (cavaco). The group's name, Bagunça meu Coreto (Mess my gazebo) playfully refers to a street carnival group that takes place in the square.
Praça São Salvador - every Sunday, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
General Glicério fair - every Saturday, from 11:30 AM
Created in 2012 by chef Bruno Magalhães and the cultural producer Conrado Gonçalves, the bar was responsible for the revitalization of Mercadinho São José (São José Market). It serves a special selection of beers to go with appetizers like the handmade ham sausage with mini onions, potatoes cooked in manteiga de garrafa (bottled butter) and crispy pastries.
Address: Travessa Euricles de Matos 46
Phone: (21) 3235-6314
Website: https://www.facebook.com/BoteroBar/?fref=ts
