The Gloria neighborhood takes it’s name from Nossa Senhora da Glória do Outeiro (Our Lady Glória of the Hillock) Church, being in a territory disputed by french, portuguese and indian folks during the 16th century reconquering battles. According to the tellings from french expedition, there used to be, at the bottom of the now existing Hillock a tupinambá village named Kariók or Karióg (meaning “house of the carijó”) – the denomination being believed to be the possible origin to Rio’s inhabitants naming “carioca”.
The district populating process had it’s start from the church’s construction in the 18th century. When the Royal Family arrived in Brazil, around 1808, the temple was chosen for the baptism realizations of royalty members. The proximity with the Government Hall at the end of the 19th century gave the área the status of “carioca Saint-Germain-des-Prés”, with a City of Lights’ clearly inspired architecture and urbanismo, including a french-type garden, the Paris Square. About the same time it started to shelter the luxurious hotels which served as a residence to deputies and senadors serving at the so called federal capital. With the power change to Brasília the place was progressively losing it’s emphasis but not it’s charm as well depicted in one of the most prominent brazilian novels, “Dom Casmurro” written by Machado de Assis.
Image: BNDigital
Named Catete’s Palace (as known as Eagles Palace) the building was built between 1858 and 1867, in na ecletic style by Gustav Waehneldt as the residence of the Baron of Nova Friburgo. The country’s most sumptuous residency at the time, it’s decoration had received republican signs and five copper eagle sculptures by Rodolfo Bernadelli and was made republican headquarters for almost 64 years, of which 18 presidents have despatched from Catete. After the federal capital transference to Brasília the Palace was turned into a Republic Museum and gathers together registers of the country’s political history among one sad chapter: the suicide of presidente Getúlio Vargas in 1954.
Image: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
The old Catete’s Policial District architecture, from 1906, was thought to contribute with the modernization and better image of Rio de Janeiro’s police force, while being the Federal District. It’s ground floor solid aspect along the cilindrical beams with embrasures alludes to military architecture and distinguish the building where resides the Catete and adjacent neighborhoods police station.
Image: Fatima Rodrigues/WikiCommons
The Humanity Temple, Brazil Positivist Church headquarters, was the first positivist temple raised in the world for the Humanity Religion cult. It preserves an intelectual estate from the church’s foundation year, in 1881, with the historical relevance around the Empire transition to the Old Republic, when August Comt’s philosophy influenced the Order and Progress moto adoption in national symbols.
Image: Museu Benjamin Constant Blog
Before Christ Redeemer, it was the Glória Hillock that occupied the city’s post card place. Located at a picturesque point of the still colonial city and Brazil’s capital, this 18th century construction served as a stage for countless artistic representations, being pictured not only for brazilians but foreing artists also who came to Rio during the 19th century. Although the view around had changed a lot, the churchyard and the church’s façade remain untouched as represented on the ancient paintings.
Image: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil
The embarkment where is now located the Flamengo Park was created from the demolition of the hills situated at the city’s central region – Castelo, Querosene e Santo Antônio. It stayed empty for some time until the urbanization because there were disagreements about turning it into a new neighborhood or just traffic tracks. Architect and landscapist Lota de Macedo had na essencial participation on the projects concept, the first active leisure park in Brazil, inspired by the urban parks like Central Park.
Image: Alicia Nijdam/WikiCommons
Initially thought as a public harbour in the 70’s, it was deviated from it’s original purpose due to the changes done along the time. The area’s revitalization was almost interrupted since Eike Batista’s company, which had the repair consenssions, have colapsed, until 2014, when the BR Marinas Group assumed the reformation. The port has 415 aquatic parking spots and 240 dry land parking points and, beyond the nautical tourism services, it offers events, keeping a public park, with a green área, bike tracks, mirador and a deck.
Image: Divulgação/Riotur
The Rio de Janeiro’s patron saint sculputure have on it’s pedestal a projection about the “Saint Sebastian Appearence at the Canoas combat” – a legenda round the saint’s intervention at the territory reconquering and french expulsion battle. The piece by sculptor Dante Crocce was first showed in 1965 as a parto f the city’s fourth centenary anniversay and suffers with endless vandalismo, losing it’s arrows constantly.
Image: Dornicke/WikiCommons
Known for the gigantic Getúlio Vargas bust, the memorial is found underground, under the square next to Gloria Hotel, where is maintained a permanente exposition telling the former presidente history. It was brought to public in 2004, on the 50th birthday of Getúlio’s death, but it’s project, signed by the architect Henock de Almeida, existed since 1984, when a contest for the memorial creation was realized by the time Estate governor, Leonel Brizola.
Image: Dornicke/WikiCommons
The enterprise raised to take in 1950’s World Cup had it’s inauguratory debut without it’s last four layers, included after the championship. During the years when Catete’s Palace was the executive power headquarters, it shared with Gloria Hotel the politicians ando famous personalities coming looking for residence or lodging.
Image: Galeria da Arquitetura.com.br
“I’ve been wandering/with nothing to eat/Went to ask the holy souls/to come and save me”
With her deep and vigorou voice, slave’s granddaughter Clementina de Jesus marked the african presence in popular brazilian music. Being 65 years old by the time of her debut there was a decisive encounter in the former maid’s life occacionating her first work as a professional singer. It happened at Glória’s Tavern, on the edge of the Hillock that takes it’s name from the patronesse, where the cultural producer and poet Hermínio Bello de Carvalho watched Quelé, as she was known, for the first time, singing jongos, lundus and other black culture traditional songs.
During the monarchy time the Glória neighborhood was a common lovers meeting spot – when the courtesans were saluted as a virility symbol, until they became the rulers “weak spots”. As it seems, there was a secret passage on the back of Glória’s church used by D. Pedro I to meet one of his lovers, the Baroness of Sorocaba, Marchioness of Santos’ sister. It is suspected that the monarch went through a spiral staircase to a next house and there he took a trail to the Baroness mansion.
A celebrative signa at the Novo Mundo Hotel reminds one of it’s most distinguished and recourring guests greatest deeds: the football player, Pelé. It was there where the “Football King” slept on the night of his 100th goal match, against Vasco, at the Maracanã, on November 19th of 1969. The copper sign with the player’s caricature engraved – wearing a crown and everything! – still remains at the reception.
On Benjamin Constant street, the carioca coreographer’s dance company occupies three houses, na old residence of the paintor Victor Meirelles. The place was restaured and preserves the typical façade from the second reign. At the door a sign makes reference to the artist and alludes to the history of the house, dated from 1893. The sapce offers dance classes and includes rehearsal classrooms, stage setting, costumes, a snack bar, dressing room and a pantry.
Benjamin Constant Street, 30
Telephone number: (21) 3806-0660
https://www.cmdc.art.br/
Image: CMDC website
On Sundays the large avenue that connects Glória to Lapa is taken by stands offering from in natura organic products to cheese, candies and homemade compotes. In part the fair accomodates flea markets and unusual sellers like Ricardo Batista de Oliveira, the “Shit King”, who has been selling bull excremento there for over 20 years. There are other neighborhood fairs happening on Thursdays, at Conde Lages street.
On Sundays, starting around 6 a.m at the Augusto Severo Avenue.
Image: Feira Popular da Glória Facebook
Located on the dividing slope between Glória and Catete, this tiny bar kept it’s original storehouse structure and sells, during the day, grocery itens as matches, toilet paper and cachaça – it’s main product. The walls are filled with Minas Gerais to Paraíba – the owner’s homestate, Seu Zé - native bottles. But be prepared because they don’t accept any kind of credit cards or checks.
Barão de Guaratiba Street, 49
Telephone Number: (21) 2558-6583
Works Monday to saturday from 10 a.m to midnight ando n Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.
Image: Bar do Zé Facebook