SãoCristóvão

History of São Cristóvão

Known as the “Imperial District of Rio de Janeiro,” São Cristóvão is a region of great importance to the Cidade Maravilhosa. São Cristóvão began to stand out in 1810, when the prince regent Dom João VI adopted the Paço da Quinta da Boa Vista as his official residence. Before that, the region that became a neighborhood was extremely natural, with beaches and green areas.

The arrival of the Royal Family brought about a series of changes. Among them was the installation of public lighting. After that, the nobility moved to São Cristóvão. The famous Marquesa de Santos was one of the noblewomen who went to live in the neighborhood.

"Many were the significant events for the country that took place in São Cristóvão. The Royal Family lived there for years, Dom Pedro I lived there, and his son, Pedro II, governed Brazil (from his residence in the neighborhood) for almost 50 years," highlights historian Maurício Santos.

South America's first telephone line had its central office in São Cristóvão. This happened during the reign of Dom Pedro II. The emperor also inaugurated the National Observatory of Rio de Janeiro, an advanced center for astronomical studies that remains, to this day, one of Brazil's leading spaces dedicated to science.

Already in the 20th century, São Cristóvão came to have intense industrial activity. It was even considered the most industrialized neighborhood in South America.

Campo de São Cristóvão in the early 20th century. Image taken from the website Diário do Rio

Image description: This is an old photograph of São Cristóvão, showing a square with people walking and carriages stopped. On the left side, there is a large green lawn, while on the right, there are red brick buildings. In the center, there is a road with several people and carriages. On the right, there are more buildings and a large tree in the background.

Even today, São Cristóvão keeps growing and developing. Currently, it is commerce that sets the pace of the neighborhood's economy. Many of the old mansions from the imperial period are used as stores.

History of the Museu Nacional

Brazil's oldest scientific institution and one of the largest natural history and anthropology museums in the Americas is located in Rio de Janeiro, more precisely in Quinta da Boa Vista. It is the Museu Nacional.

In 1892, the palace, which was listed as a heritage site by the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) in 1938, became the museum it remains to this day.

In 1946, the Museum began to be administered by the then University of Brazil, now UFRJ. In June 2018, it turned 200 years old and celebrations were held on-site because of this. Until then, the Museu Nacional housed more than 20 million pieces in its collection, which were lost in the fire on September 2, 2018. A sad episode for the history of our country.

In July 2020, the Federal Police concluded that the fire started in one of the museum's air conditioning units and ruled out criminal conduct.

Researchers from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) presented new results from the search for historical pieces. On 09/01, 2020, nine pieces recovered from the institution's Classical Archaeology collection were unveiled. The pieces were recovered during excavations.

The story lives on.

Bio Parque, formerly the Rio de Janeiro Zoo

After traveling to Paris in the 1870s, the entrepreneur João Batista Viana Drummond was impressed by that capital's urbanism at the time and, as a friend of the emperor Dom Pedro II, purchased the former Fazenda dos Macacos (in what is now the neighborhood of Vila Isabel) from Princess Isabel for 120 contos de réis in 1872. There, he set up a zoo.

As the years went by, however, with the beginning of the Republic and in the face of difficulties, the old zoo found itself forced to close its doors – which, in fact, happened in the 1940s.

On March 18, 1945, Rio de Janeiro gained a new zoo, inaugurated by then-president Getúlio Vargas, in the park of the historic Quinta da Boa Vista, residence of the Portuguese Royal Family and the Brazilian Imperial Family, next to the Museu Nacional do Brasil.

In 1985, linked to the Rio de Janeiro City Hall, the change provided greater administrative agility, promoting a modernization process that transformed the institution into a respected research and environmental education center, which was recognized throughout the country and abroad.

Since October 2016 the Zoo has been managed by a private company recognized for its expertise in the management of natural attractions, conservation, education, and research.

Located in the heart of Quinta da Boa Vista, the Rio Zoo has an area of 55,000 square meters and a collection of around 800 animals, including birds, primates, reptiles, fish and felines.

Fun Facts

There is a promenade with several palm trees that actually has a name given in tribute to an emblematic animal that lived in the old Zoo: it's a tribute to Tião the Chimpanzee! He was a very famous animal that lived in the old zoo and was known for throwing things at visitors. His name "Tião" was a tribute to the patron saint of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Saint Sebastian. In 1988, he was put forward as a candidate for Rio's mayoral office, as a form of protest, and received 400 thousand votes!

Macaco Tião Alley

Image description: The image is a photograph of a monument in a park. On the left side, there is a metal plaque fixed to a gray stone. The plaque contains text and an emblem. In the background, there is a red brick path lined with ropes tied to wooden posts. There are tall trees and green leaves along the path.

There's an animal so famous that it was used as a model for the illustration on a banknote — Gabi was the model for the jaguar we see on the 50-real bill!

Image description: The image shows a Banco Central do Brasil banknote, specifically a fifty reais bill. The left side features a prominent jaguar, with details in shades of brown and beige. To the left of the jaguar is written "BANCO CENTRAL DO BRASIL" and to the right, "50". At the bottom, there is a sequence of numbers "B B 029853002". The right side of the note displays the value "50" again, followed by "CINQUENTA REAIS".

Memories

Em 2016 participei de uma corrida beneficente no antigo zoológico. Uma corrida de 5km inesquecível, pois foi a minha primeira participação em uma corrida e a primeira de muitas. Eu pude explorar todo o parque e ao mesmo tempo observar todos os animais de perto. O dia foi muito descontraído, tirei várias fotos fazendo careta. O melhor foi ganhar uma medalha que guardo com todo carinho até hoje.

Marina with her medal. Personal collection

Image description: The image is a photograph of a smiling girl, holding a medal and a bottle of water. She is wearing a white t-shirt printed with animals and red hearts. The medal has a number and an athlete symbol. Next to her, there is a plastic bag with a bottle of water and a soda package. In the background, there are people walking and a parked car.

Unicirco - Marcos Frota

The circus occupies a privileged position among all existing forms of entertainment. Even in the age of radio, TV, and the internet, this ancient art still draws the attention of many spectators.

Unicirco. Source: agenciabrasil.com.br

Image description: This is a photograph of a theatrical performance or circus show. The scene is set on a stage with dramatic lighting, dominated by tones of red and gold. On the left side, we see dancers dressed in black tops and jeans. In the front, two male dancers stand out, both wearing black shirts and beige pants. They are in a dynamic pose, with arms extended. In the background, other dancers follow the same choreography, creating an organized formation. The backdrop features a metal structure with lights projecting into the stage, adding depth to the scene.

It offers great variety in its attractions, and the field is rich in cultural references used. That's why more than 25 years of history mark the ring of Unicirco Marcos Frota, located in the Parque Estadual da Quinta da Boa Vista.

The project is conceived and developed by actor and trapeze artist Marcos Frota. The circus brings to those who visit the space not only art, but also knowledge and learning for everyone who works and is part of the circus universe.

Educational activities are carried out for the communities through artistic and social centers. In addition, work is done on the inclusion of people with disabilities, with the team currently including wheelchair-using artists and artists with cerebral palsy.

It's worth remembering that the ring project is environmentally friendly, with the presence of animals being ruled out in the shows. For Marcos Frota, besides the social side, Unicirco brings another benefit to the city: that of the fight for the revitalization and appreciation of Quinta da Boa Vista as a public heritage site for Rio residents. “Quinta da Boa Vista is one of the most important leisure parks in Latin America. A historic construction, from the days of the Empire. That's why we set up here. We campaign for the preservation of the whole area, in harmony with public authorities. It's our way of showing love for Rio,” the actor states.