The Colonial Heart of Rio

By Steven Cassidy

Behind its packed beaches and modern skyscrapers is the colonial soul of Rio de Janerio. When the Portuguese came they brought a whiff of old Europe with their palaces, forts and tiled houses. Unfortunately, not much remains of this 450-year-old part of town, for Rio was a victim of short-sighted city planning when it expanded in the forties and fifties. Much history has been sacrificed on the altar of progress, and huge skyscrapers now line the Rio Branco. If you know where to look, though, there are some real gems—cobbled streets, dazzling cathedrals and colonial architecture.

The old colonial maps would probably still recognize the area north of Praça XV. The Rua Primeiro cuts through the western edge of the area, home to a tourist market. Here you can buy Brazilian knick-knacks such as shawls, trinkets and plastic reproductions of Rio’s famous statue, Christo Redentor. The Rua San José has kept its colonial authenticity; paved with enormous granite cobbles, it houses a colourful flower market. The Largo di Carioca has a book market featuring over twenty stalls, each with perhaps a thousand paperbacks.  

Along Rua Chile is a giant wigwam made of glass. This is the modernist Catedral Metropolitana. It looks something like a giant Mayan pyramid reaching into the air from its 625-square-foot base. This is Rio’s hat-tip to the modern architecture of Oscar Niemeyer, evident in São Paulo and Brasilia.

At the end of Rio Branco is a truly magnificent boulevard, the Avenida Vargas. At the eastern end, marooned amongst all the swirling traffic is the Igreja de Nossa Candelaria. This church is an expression of baroque sentiment and one of the few remains of that period left in Rio. Stepping inside inspires that sense of awe in a way that only great cathedrals can. The colossal nave reminds visitors of a miniature St. Peter’s or St. Paul’s, complete with frescoed dome and marble columns.

A trip up in the bondinho (mountain tram) is not to be missed. For the people of Santa Teresa, it is the only way down from their barrio high up on the mountain. You must have some agility and courage to climb aboard a rickety, fragile-looking tram. Once there are enough people aboard, it starts with a jolt. It is reminiscent of a ferris wheel ride as it wheezes uphill. You reach the Arcos da Lapa with a jolt. The aqueduct soars 100 feet (30 meters) off the ground and has only enough room for one tram to cross at a time. The view is astonishing—you can see straight across Rio to the docks.