The Pedro Ernesto Palace
The Pedro Ernesto Palace was inaugurated on 21 July, 1923, as the new headquarters of the Legislative Branch of the city of Rio de Janeiro, which at the time was the capital of the Republic. It had this role until 1960, when the federal government moved to Brasília, and Rio de Janeiro became the state of Guanabara, the only instance of a city-state in Brazilian history. During its 37 years as one of the key centers of power when Rio was the capital, the building lost this function only between 1937 and 1945, when it was closed due to the establishment of the Estado Novo dictatorship under Getúlio Vargas.
The palace has witnessed emblematic moments in the city’s history. In April 1935, the physician Pedro Ernesto became the first mayor of Rio de Janeiro elected by the city councilors. As a result, the palace was renamed in his honor in 1951. Once Rio was no longer the capital, the palace became a state parliament and from 1963 to 1974, it housed the Legislative Assembly of the State of Guanabara. After the merger with the former State of Rio de Janeiro, it became the seat of the City Council in 1977 and has hosted the inauguration ceremonies of the city´s Mayors ever since. The building was listed as a heritage site by INEPAC in 1978.
View of the Municipal Council Palace in 1928. Photograph by Augusto Malta, black and white. Dimensions: image: 17.0 x 22.9 cm; sheet: 17.5 x 23.6 cm. Instituto Moreira Salles Collection.
Before the palace was inaugurated in the 1920s, the councilors of Rio de Janeiro occupied an old building in the Campo de Santana area. After the Proclamation of the Republic, the Municipal Chamber was relocated in 1896 to what is now Cinelândia, then known as Largo da Mãe do Bispo, at the junction of the former Convento da Ajuda with Rua dos Barbonos and Rua da Guarda Velha (now Rua Evaristo da Veiga). The Chamber occupied an old building that had been a school constructed by Dom Pedro II during the Empire.
This building was demolished in 1918 to make way for the new city council palace, located in Cinelândia which had already been transformed by the urban reforms of the Mayor at the time, Pereira Passos (1902–1906), who was aiming to turn the city center into a showcase of republican progress.
Former São José School, located at Largo da Mãe do Bispo (now Praça Marechal Floriano), demolished to make way for the construction of Pedro Ernesto Palace, circa 1904. Photograph by Augusto Malta. Dimensions: image: 19.4 x 30.0 cm. Gilberto Ferrez Collection. Instituto Moreira Salles Collection.
Renovations for the opening of Avenida Central reach Largo da Mãe do Bispo. In the foreground the Convento da Ajuda, with the former Municipal Council building visible in the background on the right, 1905. Photograph by Augusto Malta. Dimensions: image/sheet: 19.7 x 30.0 cm. Gilberto Ferrez Collection. Instituto Moreira Salles Collection.
The exuberance of the republican capital motivated the councilors to pursue the construction of a new headquarters for the municipal legislature. In 1918, the project for the new palace, designed by the architect, Heitor de Mello, was approved, and construction began. Mello ran one of the most prominent architectural firms in the city and was responsible for significant projects, including the first police headquarters in Rio (1909), located in Catete.
The architect designed the new councilors’ building inspired by the Liverpool Cotton Exchange in the United Kingdom. However, Heitor de Mello’s premature death in 1920 affected the progress of the project. The completion of the palace was taken over by Archimedes Memoria in partnership with Francisque Cuchet and they were also responsible for designing and constructing the Tiradentes Palace, the former headquarters of the Chamber of Deputies, inaugurated in 1926.
Inaugurated in 1923, Pedro Ernesto Palace is often referred to as the older sibling of Tiradentes Palace, as they have a similar architectural style which was inspired by Antiquity and the Renaissance. Additionally, they were among the first reinforced concrete buildings in Latin America. However, being relatively smaller and more expensive than other constructions of the time, the palace earned the nickname ´Golden Birdcage´.
Avenida Rio Branco, view from the vicinity of Rua Pedro Lessa. The Pedro Ernesto Palace under construction with scaffolding is visible on the left, showcasing the characteristic ironwork of reinforced concrete. In the background, the Morro de Santo Antônio. circa 1918–1920. Unidentified photograph, black and white. Dimensions: sheet: 13.0 x 18.0 cm. Sebastião Lacerda Collection. Instituto Moreira Salles Collection.
Cartoon from the magazine O Malho satirizing the term “Golden Birdcage.” Source: O Malho, no. 1,089, July 28, 1923. National Library Archive.
The Pedro Ernesto Palace is today framed by high-rise buildings that have replaced Cinelândia’s former movie theaters. Its architecture uses elements of art history to tell the story of the city. This is evident in its decorative features: first and foremost, the grand staircase that leads up to the palace, a design typical of late 19th-century French constructions, but built using stone from the Morro da Viúva quarry. This makes the building an architectural monument in Cinelândia. Passing through the elegant wrought-iron gates crafted by the Liceu de Artes e Ofícios de São Paulo, a balcony lined with Greco-Roman colonnades is reached. This overlooks the Salão Nobre, flanked by two prominent towers. At the base of these towers are two clocks: the right-hand clock indicates the hours and minutes, while the left-hand clock was designed to track the phases of the moon and the days, and months.
The towers feature four allegorical sculptures by the renowned artist Corrêa Lima: from left to right, ´Primitive Land´, ´Colonial City´, ´Imperial City´, and ´Republican City´. The Pedro Ernesto Palace brings together art and the city and is a landmark of the architectural transformations that contributed to shaping Rio de Janeiro’s identity in the first half of the 20th century.
Sculptures in progress at Correia Lima’s studio: Republican City and Imperial City. Source: Vida Carioca, no. 30, 24 June, 1922. National Library Archive.
