The path of this Rolé Carioca will take show us the most representative street from colonial Rio, once named Rua Direita (Straight Street). Historical evidence tells that this used to be the way made by the temiminós indigenes long before the Portuguese colonizers. When the city seat established in Castelo during the 16th century it increased the route circulation, which would receive the first constructions: the religious Carmelite order, a wharf and the Santa Cruz fortress. Around the 17th century the erection of landlord mansions, as those owned by Correias de Sá, Benevides, and Teles de Menezes (of which derives the Teles Arch), gave a new use of the surroundings. Other buildings were made in the new colonial capital: the customhouse (now Casa França-Brasil), the Casa dos Contos and Governors House which later would become the Imperial Palace.
In 1808, following the escape of the Portuguese court, Rio began to circulate on Direita (Straight Street). Carmo Church was elevated to Cathedral and the Palace sheltered the newly arrived until it became a dispatch point for the royal family in Brazil. As the center of business and fashion, this place received products derived from the port that used to fulfill the local aristocrats’ dream of resembling the Europeans. Between Carmo and Ouvidor coffee shops, restaurants and bakeries started to appear – on of them had such a public that gave it’s name to the passage long after they disappeared. During the Republic, being Primeiro de Março already, the avenue acquired the present form through a series of embankments. In Praça XV, the Valentim fountain was put apart from the edge of the harbor and, since the Castelo disassembly, it gave space to expand the city’s railroad.
Image: BN Digital
Inaugurated in 1906 as the Rio de Janeiro Commercial Association, there was a time when it’s rotunda covered the trading floor of Public Funds Exchange. During the 20’s it became a Banco do Brasil property, being reformed as their new headquarters. The function was kept until 1906, turning the edifice into a landmark in the national finance world. By the end of the 80’s it’s symbolic and architectonic value was recovered and the building adapted to receive a cultural center through a project that preserved the columns refinement, the ornaments, foyer and staircases ivory and the dome over the rotunda.
One of the first constructions in the avenue it once was a wood fort that did the area’s defense. Over the ruins of this fortress it was erected a small church to serve as military cemetery, which later gave space to an actual church. It was the house of bishops from 1734 to 1737, a period known for the conflicts between soldiers and priests. The original project was in a Jesuitical baroque style, elaborated by the military engineer José Custódio de Sá. Ten years after the conflagration responsible for it’s almost complete destruction, the church went through a revitalization in 1850.
A few couple of addresses in this town keep as much history as this one: this was the spot where D. João VI were proclaimed, Pedro I decided to stay in Brazil and Princess Isabel signed the Lei Áurea (Golden Law). It was built around 1738 and 1743 by the order of Gomes Freire Andrade, Count of Bobadela and became the first noble house assigned to the capitania administration. The project took advantage of the older local constructions – the Del-Rei storages and the Mint. When the government seat was transferred to the city it became Palace of the Viceroys. In 1808 it’s status is changed again to Royal Palace, center of the political events, royal parties and power statement ceremonies. The Old Jail and Carmo Monastery were attached to the building through galleries. During the Republic the palace had it’s political functions deprived and it starts running as a Correios and Telegraph partition, until It’s inclusion in the government trust in 1938.
Around 1640, the first building constructed there received 3 councilman, elected in an indirect election for a year mandate, taking care of the city and it’s finances. The entirety of city’s money was kept in a safe usually nicknamed “burra” (dumb), which could only be unlocked by 3 keys, them belonging to the councils. With a larger number of representatives being placed, it became the imperial parliament. In the year of 1922, already degraded, the palace was brought down in order to give place to a another one inspired by Paris Grand Palais, intended to inaugurate in 1926. It worked as Federal Chamber until 1960 – except between 1937 and 1945 when Getúlio Vargas closed the Congress. Then it was declared as Legislative Assembly of Guanabara State (ALEG) until the fusion of Guanabara and Rio estates and the creation of Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro Estate (ALERJ).
A watershed landmark in brazilian modern architecture, erected between 1937 and 1945, designated to be the Health and Education Ministry. It is the result of the architects group led by Lucio Costa and participations from Afonso Eduardo Reicly, Carlos Leão, Jorge Moreira, Ernani Vasconcellos and Oscar Niemeyer. The project reached to stick to the architectonic rationalism from Le Corbusier: pilotis use, free floor plans, a terrace garden, clean façade and horizontal windows. It’s 16 floors are made with bold materials: iron and concrete, lioz marble, English clinkers mixed yellow marble. The gardens were projected by Burle Marx with a wall tile panel made by Cândido Portinari.
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The initial idea was to create a Brazilian academy inspired on the French model and derives from the 20th century. ABL have 40 permanent and perpetual members and 20 foreign correspondents. The members are known as immortals, a lifelong post. When one of the members dies the Academy announces that, since a chair have become empty they’ll receive new candidatures and then, through a secret election, choose the substitute. It’s inaugural session happened in July 20th, 1897 hosted by Machado de Assis, also one of the founding members along Lúcio de Mendonça, Olavo Billac, Graça Aranha, Rui Barbosa, Joaquim Nabuco, Viscount of Taunay and others.
Created in 1948, MAM-Rio was initially inside Boavista Bank annex in Candelária. In 1952 it was transferred to the pilotis of the now Capanema Palace, then named MEC. On the inauguration, this second provisory headquarters they also exposed prizewinner artworks on 1st São Paulo Biennial. In 1954 the definitive construction began in a land donated by the federal district government: 40.000m² designated to the building and it’s gardens, by the ocean, on the bottom of Gloria’s Cove. Affonso Eduardo Reidy was responsible for the project and the gardens were a Burle Marx execution.
Right or Straight are no adjectives that actually could fit the old Direita Street. It also didn’t mean an opposing direction to left. Direita surrounded Castelo and made the connection through the shore from the harbor to the high parts of the primitives occupations in Rio: the hills of Castelo, São Bento and Conceição. It’s present denomination, although colliding with the city’s foundation (January 3rd , 1565) was only granted during D. Pedro II government to mark the occasion of Paraguayan War end (January 3rd , 1870)
People tell that the numerous Portuguese court arrival resulted on the first dislodgements in the city. How to allocate so many subjects? Easy: D. João VI distributed nobility titles to local business man residing downtown in exchange of using their houses. Those properties were then marked with the “R.P” initials meaning Regent Prince – but soon people began translating it as “Run out of your property!” Some would say “Robbed Place” since the families were obliged to also leave the furniture, the dishes, the servants and anything else the invaders wanted.
Longe before the Tiradentes’ Palace, the place where now is Rio de Janeiro Estate Legislative Branch, it was home for the House of Chamber and Prison. It was usual in Portuguese colonial cities that the same place was used as both Legislative and jail for those who didn’t obey the Crown’s laws. The “Old Jail”, as it became known, was different from Alijube where they put the common criminals, because it only received important outlaws in it’s undergrounds. Among them the mineiro rebel that now borrows this building it’s name: Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, the Tiradentes, who had been there until his hanging in April 21st, 1792.
It is totally worth it to go back on a Saturday to know the fair. As a result of Perimetral shutting, the tents now are placed in front of Imperial Palace. There are around 300 of them selling all sorts of things: furniture, drapery, vinyl, philately, numismatics, toys, vintage clothes, books and antiquities in general.
Praça XV between Imperial Palace and Teles Arch
Every Saturday from 6a.m to 3p.m. Free
http://www.facebook.com/feiradapracaxvrj
Maybe the most well-known is Samba do Ouvidor which began 8 years ago and normally fills the hole Mercado St. during the afternoon on Saturdays. But another sambas adds to the schedule of those who wants to listen good music in an open space. The Samba de Lei for example takes the Teles Arch every Thursday night. This success spread to the restaurants and bars around that now count with live music.
On the corner between Mercado and Ouvidor Streets
On Saturdays on a 15 days spam at 4p.m. For free
https://www.facebook.com/SambaDaOuvidor/
A recent reformation increased the value of the original furniture, the wood display window and tile floor from the first store owned by José Antônio Coxito Granado. Founded in 1870 it used to resale medicine from Europe. However, the owner, along his brother, the pharmacist João Bernardo Coxito Granado, dedicated their time to produce new medicinal formulas from plants cultivated at the mountainous area in Rio. Nowadays the traditional Antiseptic Powder, registered in 1903 by Oswaldo Cruz, fights it’s space with an large variety of products such as soaps and creams included on the Phebo brand.
Primeiro de Março St., 16
https://www.facebook.com/granadoprimeirodemarco
