Ferrystation

This plaque is part of the 'Praça XV' circuit. Click here to see more about this and other circuits.

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Passenger transport by ferries was Rio de Janeiro's first mass urban mobility system. Introduced on a larger scale in the 1830s, by the second half of the 19th century there were more than 50 daily trips between Rio and Niterói. And along with population density growth, set within a context of major urban transformations that Rio de Janeiro underwent, the (now century-old) ferry station building was constructed in the early 20th century.

Image description: This is a photograph of a historic railway station. The image shows a yellow building with ornamental blue and white details. On the left, there is a simpler structure, while on the right stands the main building, distinguished by its blue dome and elaborate architectural details. In front, there is an open area with a tree partially visible at the top of the image. A bicycle is parked near the building's entrance.

Located in the historic Praça XV, construction of the building began during the administration of mayor Pereira Passos, in 1904, and it was inaugurated in 1912. The building's eclectic architecture (which combines elements from various architectural styles) is an impressive example of one of the prevailing styles of the era — at least for public buildings and mansions. Currently, in addition to the station, the building houses the Operational Control Center of the CCR concessionaire — which has managed ferry transportation since 2012 —, the company's administrative offices, shops, and auxiliary service areas.

But this station was not the first to operate passenger transport across Guanabara Bay. The use of the bay, in fact, predates the invasion by the Portuguese by far. The Tupinambás already used canoes to travel between its different shores, and, starting in the 16th century, the colonizers used those same indigenous canoes for years, until boats and faluas – powered by enslaved rowers – began to travel these waters.

Image description: This is a painting depicting a coastal landscape. On the left side, there is a hill covered with green vegetation. In the center, a ship is sailing on the calm sea. On the right, two tall palm trees stand out prominently. On the horizon, several islands and mountains form the background of the scene. At the bottom of the image, a man is sitting on a rock, looking out at the sea. The artist's signature, "C. Colgan," is located in the lower left corner of the painting.

As for steam navigation, after a first unsuccessful attempt in 1817, it was launched in 1835. On October 14th of that year, the service of the Sociedade de Navegação de Nictheroy went into operation, with three English boats named Praiagrandense, Niteroiense, and Especuladora, which began making the route between the then imperial Court and the city of Niterói.

Image description: This is a painting depicting a lively scene at a port. On the left, we see a man pulling a white horse by the rein. In the center, a crowd of people is gathered on a bridge, where some are carrying long poles with colorful flags. On the right, boats are being moved by men working in the port's waters. In the background, buildings and a fortress are visible.

The dock was at the former Praia de Dom Manuel, located to the right of today's Praça XV — and, at the time, one of the city's main ports. Besides this one, there were also other boarding and landing points for the steamboats, such as at the beaches of Caju, Botafogo, and São Cristóvão. These ports — already in operation before the emergence of the steam ferries — lost importance, and, starting in the 1860s, transportation to the south and north zone regions began to be carried out by land, with the emergence of mule-drawn trams — which, as they gained popularity with the public, left the ferries more restricted to the Rio x Niterói route.

Image description: This is an old photograph of a ferry station. The image shows a building with a central tower containing a clock, located at the center. To the left of the main building, there is a lower structure with arches and open doors. To the right, there is a wooden structure with a sloped roof. In the foreground, several people are walking across the square in front of the station. The sky is clear and cloudless.

But before the trams, other ferry navigation companies had emerged, adding new vessels to their fleets. In 1862, a giant was inaugurated: the Companhia Ferry, created from a concession granted by the imperial government to the entrepreneur Clinton Van Tuyl. The Companhia Ferry, which introduced the ferry system (the ferry boats) in the city – with greater passenger capacity and faster vessels – ended up affecting the services of the Companhia de Navegação de Niterói e Inhomirim (a merger of the Sociedade Nictheroy and the Companhia Inhomirim, inaugurated in 1851), which eventually ceased its activities in 1865. To implement the new system, a new station was inaugurated in 1862.

Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph showing a scene of passengers boarding a ship. The image is framed with a wavy border, typical of postcards. On the left side, we see the ship "Galeao," with its funnel and flags visible. People are disembarking and boarding, occupying the center and background of the image. On the right, there is a large crowd of people walking toward the ship. In the background, we see mountains and a clear sky.

In the early 20th century, like Rio de Janeiro itself, the transportation system underwent a transformation. In this sense, the architectural complex of the current ferry station was built in keeping with the trends of this period, with an iron structure and a domed vault, above a gateway full of naval details.

Image description: This is a photograph of a square with a historic building in the background. The image shows a yellow structure with ornamental details and a blue dome on top. On the left, there is an entrance with arches and balconies. On the right, there is a walkway connecting the two buildings. People are walking across the square, and trees are present on the right. The sky is clear and blue.

The structure was revitalized in the 1990s, and in 2012, CCR took over the management of the station and the city's ferry transportation. Today, the Praça XV station receives thousands of passengers every day heading to Niterói, Ilha do Governador, and Ilha de Paquetá.

Image description: The image shows two logos. On the left side, there is a blue shield with a crown and decorative elements, followed by the text "Rio Prefeitura Turismo" in blue. On the right side, there is a logo with the phrase "Rio Memórias" in orange, inside a square with vertical lines.