Rio de Janeiro Attractions

Travessa do Comércio cuts across Rua do Ouvidor, which in the later days of the Empire was the center of the newspaper industry and the trade in luxury goods. In this street is the church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa dos Mercadores, a splendid Baroque building of 1747.

Praça 15 de Novembro

Praça 15 de Novembro is the scene of frequent markets for the sale of antiques, art, postage stamps and coins. From here there are boat services to Niterói and the Ilha de Paquetá.

The arch at the entrance to Travessa do Comércio, a short distance from Praça 15 de Novembre, is all that remains of a house built by Alpoim for the Telles de Menezes family which was burned down in 1790. The narrow cobbled lanes of this quarter are nowadays the scene of open-air cultural events, and the tall houses with their thick walls are now occupied by bars and elegant restaurants.

Cathedral

To the south of Largo da Carioca, is the modern Cathedral of São Sebastião (1964-76), which can accommodate a congregation of 20,000.

Chafariz da Pirâmide

In the center of the square is the Chafariz da Pirâmide, a fountain by Valentim da Fonseca e Silva, known as Mestre (Master) Valentim, a native of Minas Gerais who ranks after Aleijadinho as the greatest sculptor of colonial Brazil.

Museu Naval e Oceanográfico

To the east of Praça 15 de Novembro, in Rua Dom Manuel, is the Museum of Shipping and Oceanography, which displays old charts, weapons, models of carvels, photographs and other documents illustrating the history of seafaring in Brazil.

In Rua Marechal Floriano, is the Palácio do Itamarati, now occupied by the Museum of History and Diplomacy. Until 1897 it was the official residence of the President of the Republic, and thereafter was occupied by the Foreign Ministry. The Museum displays a variety of documents illustrating the work of Brazilian diplomats since the colonial period.

On Praça Rui Barbosa is the Museu da Imagem e do Som (Museum of the Image and Sound), with records, books, photographs and taped reportages on the life of the city.

The Sambódromo, in which the Carnival parades of the samba schools of Rio have been held since 1984, was designed by Oscar Niemeyer. With a total area of 85,000sq.m/102,000sq.yds, it has seating for up to 50,000 spectators. The associated Carnival Museum displays the trophies of the samba schools, which are brought up to date every six months.

OIn Rua 1 de Maráo, a side street off Rua do Ouvidor, is the church of Santa Cruz dos Militares (1770-1811),

Santo Antônio

On Largo da Carioca are the church and monastery of Santo Antônio and the church of the lay Franciscan order. The church of Santo Antônio (1608-20) is the oldest in the city.

On Praça Cristiano Ottoni (Avenida Presidente Vargas, opposite the Campo de Santana) is the Estação Dom Pedro II (railway station; 1879).

Between the Rio-Niterói bridge and Praça 15 de Novembro, is the Ilha Fiscal, the whole area of which (7000sq.m/8400sq.yds) is occupied by a neo-Gothic castle built in April 1889. There are likenesses of Dom Pedro II and Princess Isabel in stained glass windows. Here in November 1889 was held the last ball of the Empire.

From the Morro de São Bento a bridge leads on to the Ilha das Cobras, which in the colonial period was fortified by the Portuguese.

Largo da Carioca

From Praça Mauá Avenida Rio Branco cuts through the central area and at the Parque do Flamengo (see below) runs into Avenida Beira-Mar. A side street off Avenida Rio Branco leads to Largo da Carioca, now a favorite haunt of artists and craftsmen, with one of the finest churches in Rio.

On the island which is linked with the Santos-Dumond Airport, there once stood a French fort defending França Antárctica, and after the expulsion of the French the Portuguese built another fort. The main feature of interest on the island is now the Museum of the Naval Academy.

Near the National Historical Museum, in Largo da Misericórdia, is the early 17th century church of Nossa Senhora do Bonsucesso.

Rio de Janeiro International Airport is located on Ilha do Governador, approximately 20 to 30 minutes from the city center.

To the south of the National Historical Museum is the Santos Dumont Airport (regional and national services), on land reclaimed from the sea between the mainland and the island of Villegaignon.