We had a riocard, a job, and the dream of getting to know the surroundings of where we studied, in the neighborhood of São Cristóvão.
Video produced by the authors. Music: Vilarejo - Marisa Monte
We, tour guide students from the Escola Técnica Estadual Adolpho Bloch, were excited about our first fieldwork assignment, since we believe that in order to write about a place, some lived experience is needed.
Nowadays it's very common to find detailed information and photos about various places on the internet, but that wasn't the case for Bairro Santa Genoveva, which had only 2 websites with its history.
On the day we chose to visit Bairro Santa Genoveva, the weather was cloudy and rainy, but during our trip, it started to improve.
We took the 371 bus, which passes in front of the school, and got off near a historic site, the House of the Marquesa de Santos. São Cristóvão is also known as the imperial neighborhood, due to the Portuguese court's move to the region in the early 19th century.
With almost no information, we showed up at the front desk and, since it was a residential and private neighborhood, we weren't allowed in. We explained our work and about Rio Memórias to the building manager, and he quickly cleared our entry.
First, we come across the portico, which more closely resembles the rococo style due to its simplicity, its straight towers, and the few arches in its composition.
Santa Genoveva Neighborhood Gateway - Personal Collection
Image description: This is a photograph of a neighborhood called Santa Genoveva. In the image, we see colorful buildings arranged along a street. On the left, there is a blue building with white details. In the center, there is a yellow building with arches and a sign that reads "Bairro Santa Genoveva". On the right, there is a green building with balconies and windows. In front of the buildings, there are parked cars and people walking. The sky is blue with some white clouds.As we passed through that old entrance, our expectations about the place changed completely, we got excited about the adventure we were the protagonists of, and even the weather seemed to pay attention to our actions, with its constant changing.
We walked along the cobblestone streets protected by IPHAN (National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute), amazed by the care the residents take with the place. There are several plants adorning the houses, and nature seems to have embraced the buildings. It was quite cool, thanks to the trees that cast shadows, creating a serene atmosphere. Most of the residents are elderly, so the tranquility welcomes everyone.
Casa in the Santa Genoveva neighborhood - Personal collection
Image description: This is a photograph of a house located in the Santa Genoveva neighborhood. The house has two floors and is built on a hillside. On the left side, we see a stone staircase that leads to the main entrance of the house. On the left there is also a large tree with many green leaves. In the central part of the image, we see the facade of the house, which is blue and white. There are balconies with black railings and plants hanging in the windows. On the right, we see another large tree with a thick trunk. In the center of the image, there is a street sign that reads "RUA GERONTE".As we look closely at the houses on the way to the church, we notice several Portuguese features, such as the ceramics with religious Catholic figures that delight the eyes with their details and vibrant colors, even though aged.
An interesting fact is that the streets are named after neighborhoods, streets, or important figures from Paris: one of them is called Lutecia, which is the oldest district on the Île de la Cité.
Lutecia Street sign - Personal collection
Image description: The image is a photograph of a textured yellow wall. At the top, there is a blue sign with white letters reading "RUA LUTECIA." Below the sign, there is a black mailbox with the Post Office logo and the word "CORREIO" written in white. To the right, there is a wooden fence and a white building. In the background, there is a green tree.It's on this street that the village church is located, a "replica" of the church situated in Paris, dedicated to Saint Genevieve.
It has elements with diverse influences: symmetrically composed - with two staircases and two bell towers - it has blue and white Portuguese tiles, a triangular pediment, a portico and columns of Greek influence, blended with Roman arches and a colorful rose window at the center, which harks back to the medieval period.
We were amazed by all these details and many others that our untrained eyes couldn't quite make out. However, a feeling of being taken back to a time when the church was open and welcoming its worshippers washed over us, bringing great satisfaction at having had the opportunity to get to know this place.
The church was a promise made by the Viscount of Morais, a devotee of Saint Genevieve - patron saint of Paris - on account of his wife's recovering health. By purchasing a plot of land on Morro do Breves, he gave rise to a little Paris, a peaceful and cool spot, set apart from the bustling neighborhood of São Cristóvão.
Facade of the Santa Genoveva church - Personal collection
Image description: This is a photograph of a church. The image shows the building's main façade, featuring a large blue stained-glass window with a central cross. To the left and right of the stained-glass window, there are two windows decorated with architectural elements. Above the stained-glass window, there are two statues of human figures, one on each side. The church's roof is topped with two small decorative domes. The sky in the background is blue with scattered clouds.Our adventure ended with some residents telling us that the Santa Genoveva neighborhood is a very pleasant place to live.
On the way out, we passed through the portal and returned to the reality of Rio de Janeiro.
