Our research is about the Madureira station, which, besides being an important boarding and disembarking point, is the walkway connecting both sides of the neighborhood, and is also a meeting point and a place full of stories and curiosities.
Estação de Madureira is a symbol of one of the most famous neighborhoods in the carioca Zona Norte. Source: Jornal da PUC
Image description: This is a photograph of a subway station called "Madureira". The image shows a modern structure with a blue and white roof. On the left, there is an elevated walkway with people walking. In the center, there is a building with the name "Madureira" written in large letters. On the right, there are tall residential buildings and a stopped train line. The sky is clear and blue, and there is an electrical tower in the background.The neighborhood of Madureira:
Madureira is a very popular neighborhood in the Zona Norte of Rio de Janeiro, also known as “Capital do Subúrbio,” “Coração da Zona Norte,” and “Berço do Samba.” It has an expansive variety of shops and establishments, in addition to a diversity of train and bus lines that take us to several points in the city of Rio.
Madureira has several stores and shopping arcades, such as the Mercadão de Madureira and the Madureira Shopping. Being one of the city's biggest commercial hubs, it commonly attracts people from different neighborhoods in search of all kinds of services and products. So, when you're looking for something and ask someone where to find it, you might hear the following phrase: "have you checked if they have it in Madureira?".
The Mercadão de Madureira is one of the city's largest commercial hubs. Source: Diário do Rio
Image description: The image is a photograph of a popular market called Mercadão de Madureira. The market's facade is blue with white and red lettering. On the left, there is a smiling cartoon character. In the center, it reads "Mercadão de Madureira" and below, "The largest popular market in Brazil." On the right, there is a logo featuring a man wearing a white shirt and jeans. Below the facade, there is a green banner with red lettering that reads "Happy Christmas New Year," decorated with Christmas elements. People are walking through the market entrance, some carrying bags. In the background, there is a parked yellow taxi.The neighborhood is also famous for its "baile charme" (charm dance party) - one of the most famous in the country - and it has two samba school headquarters: Portela and Império Serrano. It also has Parque de Madureira, which is the third largest park in the city.
The Madureira station:
Although the rails had reached the region in 1858, Estação de Madureira was only inaugurated in 1890. Before that, the station used by residents was Cascadura, about 1 km away.
The station was inaugurated on June 15, 1890, and it was given this name because the site was home to the Fazenda do Campinho, in the Freguesia do Irajá, where a cattle drover named Lourenço Madureira lived. After the drover's death, in 1851, the Fazenda Campinho began developing into a neighborhood, which was named Madureira.
In 1923, the samba school Portela was founded by Paulo Benjamin de Oliveira. And its inauguration is connected to the Madureira station, since Paulo used to catch the train that left Central do Brasil at 6:04 p.m. headed for the Madureira station, together with other samba musicians, rehearsing and singing sambas along the way. Hence the origin of the "Trem do samba" ("Samba Train"), an event held annually to celebrate samba day, which falls on December 2nd.
The traditional Samba Train. Source: Eu, Rio website
Image description: This is a photograph of a crowd inside a train. The image shows people holding onto the support bars, filling the entire available space. On the left, we see women wearing straw hats and colorful clothing. In the center, men wearing straw hats and white shirts with green details are packed together. On the right, more people follow the same arrangement, filling the available space. Everyone appears to be on the move, possibly heading to an event or celebration.Currently, Madureira is one of the main railway stations in the Rio suburbs and has integration with BRT buses.
Memories
Student at ETEAB:
"My first time riding the train was quite embarrassing, but the people who were at the station helped me a lot.
The Madureira station is one of Rio's main stations because of its commercial hub, and it has several branch lines — meaning it's very easy to get lost. My story starts right there.
I arrived asking whoever I could see which was the correct line to get to Maracanã, but not everyone knew the station. One person knew and told me I needed to head toward Central do Brasil; they also told me which was the parador train - because my father had always told me to take the parador, since it was emptier. Even so, the train was packed, since it was rush hour (a word I learned thanks to the train commuters), spelled rush. As soon as I got on, I already asked: "this one goes to Maracanã, right?". At every station we passed, I'd ask a different person. And absent-minded as I am, I went with my backpack full of stuff on my back, and every so often someone would walk by and nearly take me along with them. Besides bothering everyone, I nearly fell thousands of times. A lady nudged me and warned: "look, you'd better move your backpack to the front, or you'll end up getting swept away with the crowd." I laughed, super embarrassed, and apologized. To this day, even when the train is empty, I already get on with my backpack on my belly.
Student at ETEAB:
"Madureira has always been a commercial point for me. Following my list of priorities, if I couldn't find something in Campo Grande, where I live, I was sure to check in Madureira. My most recent experience at the station was when I was running late to get to school and, since this station connects with the express train, if I were fast enough I could catch it, which didn't happen. The door closed right in my face, but then comes the twist: a stranger for whom I now have enormous appreciation held the door for me. I don't even know how, but I ran so much that I managed to get in! Unfortunately there wasn't even time to thank him, he didn't get on the train, but it was one of those simple gestures you never forget."
Really, Madureira is our place, as Arlindo Cruz once said! There's much more history to tell, and since time doesn't stop, more and more memories keep forming in Madu.
