CompanhiadeFiaçãoeTecidosAliança(Laranjeiras)–1880

In 1872, a large company called Companhia Econômica de Lavanderia a Vapor was opened in the Laranjeiras neighborhood, around what is now Rua General Glicério. The laundry, owned by Francisco de Sá Nogueira, José Duarte da Fonseca Silva, and Miguel Couto dos Santos, was sold eight years later and, in 1880, was transformed into a textile and dyeing industry - the Companhia de Fiação e Tecidos Aliança. Its owners were the Portuguese José Augusto Laranja and Joaquim Carvalho de Oliveira e Silva, and the Englishman Henrique Whittaker.

Image description: This is a historic black-and-white photograph of a city. On the left side, we see a building with classical architecture, possibly a palace or a public building, with a central tower and a clock. In front of it, there is a staircase leading to the main entrance. In the background, there is a hill covered with dense vegetation. On the right, we see a factory with a tall chimney in full operation, emitting smoke. Between the two buildings, there are several houses and smaller structures, forming the center of the city.

Companhia Aliança was one of the city's most important textile factories and is part of the history of Rio de Janeiro's industrial development. The factory, which at one point had around 2,000 people on its staff, was one of those responsible for attracting, to the then-distant Rio south zone, residents who were not part of the city's economic elites - just like the factories of Jardim Botânico, Gávea, and Botafogo.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of an industrial factory. On the left side, we see workers at their workstations, some seated and others standing. In the center, a man is standing, wearing dark glasses and a white shirt, focused on his task. On the right, another worker is seated, also in focus. The ceiling is high, with metal structures and hanging lamps. In the upper part, we see more workers and industrial equipment.

In the 1930s, the South Zone was beginning to cease being an industrial area. Thus, in 1935, Aliança was sold to the businessman Severino Pereira da Silva, from Pernambuco, and, in 1937, it ceased operations. On the site where the factory once stood, Pereira da Silva launched Cidade-Jardim Laranjeiras, a real estate development introduced in the 1940s. The company's closure led to a decline in the neighborhood's economy and to the departure of many workers, who went on to live in areas farther from the city.

Image description: The image is a black-and-white illustration depicting an urban development project. In the center, there is a drawing of modern residential buildings arranged in a U-shape, surrounded by gardens. On the left, there is a large tree and a small green area with bushes. On the right, there is an arched structure, possibly a bridge or tunnel. The text above the drawing mentions "Cidade Jardim Laranjeiras" and discusses land lots and magnificent apartments being sold in this new residential neighborhood in Rio. Below the drawing, there is more text detailing the benefits and features of the lots and apartments. In the bottom right corner, there is a simplified map showing the location of Cidade Jardim Laranjeiras.