Although nature and beaches are definitely the top thing about Rio, the city’s downtown is definitely something not to be missed. I think by exploring Centro you can really understand the importance of Brasil’s second capital for around 200 years (in 1960, the capital was moved to Brasilia). The Portuguese royal family lived here and have influenced heavily the city’s architecture and of course, culture.
*It might be recommendable to visit Rio’s downtown during office hours when it’s the busiest.
Probably the best example of that is the neo- Gothic, Royal Portuguese Reading Room. It is one of the most beautiful in the world (I’ll add Ateneo in Buenos Aires, Vasconcelos in Mexico City, Starfield in Seoul, Bodleian in Oxford…), and has the largest Portuguese literature collection outside of Portugal. Walk in and you’ll feel like in real-life Harry Potter.
Other spots which you should totally visit downtown:
- Confeitaria Colombo is just 5 mins walk from the reading room. (be prepared for a long queue)
- Granado Pharmacias , the oldschool pharmacy- cosmetic shop. Great place to indulge in hand creams (try castanha do Brasil), lotions, soaps (lavender), perfumes, home scents (the Carioca one!), I loved the vintage packaging and natural ingredients. The shop in Centro is one of the oldest in Rio (these are the kind of cosmetics Daisy Buchanan would use)
There´s also the Metropolitan Cathedral. Suposedly, cariocas have very little affection for this heavy, dark structure representing everything opposite to Niemeyer´s uplifting buildings.
Than, the Museum of Tomorrow. I would honestly skip the exposition unless you’re really into science and technology (to be honest I was a bit disappointed with the screening in the dome) and walk around instead. Like some other remarkable architecture in Rio, it’s inspired by carioca culture, and according to ArchDaily, its structure explores the relationship between the city and the natural environment.
«The idea is that the building feels ethereal, almost floating on the sea, like a ship, a bird or a plant. Because of the changing nature of the exhibits, we have introduced an archetypal structure inside the building. This simplicity allows for the functional versatility of the Museum, able to accommodate conferences or act as a research space,» said Mr. Calatrava.
The museum is also a part of a revitalization project focusing on the port and Centro, aiming to make the area more attractive (and by opening it, make it less insecure). Grab an acai from the nearby stand and enjoy the view!
MAR– Museum of Art Rio is just across the acai square and has an interesting structure as it connects three very different buildings (a police station, an old bus station and a palace) into one complex. Go upstairs from where you can inspect the structure closer and enjoy a coffee with a view for Museum of Tomorrow.
Selarón stairs is also worth a visit although you might struggle to get a good shot without the other 100+ tourists in it. Most of the 125- meters long stairs were covered with materials, tiles scavenged from materials found on construction sites. Look closely and you might find a piece of tile with the name of your hometown, wherever in the world it is.
It reminds me of Fusterlandia in la Havana, Cuba and Rainbow Village in Taichung, Taiwan.
However, my favourite place was undoubtedly MAC de Nitéroi, designed of course by Oscar Niemeyer. I read it was also his favourite project of all 500 constructed in Brasil, Algeria, France, Israel and Spain. It´s actually a long drive across the bridge from Rio, in Niterói, but totally worth the trip. The taxi driver said that the the only nice thing in Niterói is the view of Rio over the bay.
It inevitably invokes an UFO, something out of this world, although Niemeyer´s intention was to create something harmonious with the surrounding natural landscape (the curves). It is also an example of a ¨Bilbao effect¨, where notable architecture attracts visitors to a rather inattractive city they would otherwise never include in their itinerary.
But Nitéroi has another Niemeyer´s building, the Cultural Center. Sadly, it looks abandoned and some people from Rio have probably never even heard of it. There were no tourists there either. Too bad, it could be a great place for people to frequent and get acquainted with art in all its forms.
To resume, the drive from Copacabana or Ipanema where you will be probably staying (in case you´re considering Santa Teresa, locals discourage anyone from going there, although there is a handful of exclusive boutique hotels looking super nice) to Nitéroi and downtown is quite long, but still easily accessible. There´s plenty of taxis all around all the sites mentioned here so don´t worry about going back to your hotel. It is also a great way to get to know Brazilian modernist architecture, especially if you´re not planning to visit Brasilia anytime soon. The capital is where the style was fully embraced.
domi.guru 