Much have been said about Rio´s police, but tourists need not to worry. Rarely conflicts reach prime areas such as Rio ´s South Zone. Belavista-Rio wrote a series of Rio Security Tips to make sure you avoid unwanted hassles during your stay. Additionally, we described below the four types of police uniforms in Rio de Janeiro, so you can easily identify them in case you need some help or assistance:


Regular Military Police is in charge for combating the criminal activities and maintaing the public order in Rio de Janeiro. They are dressed in blue and grey uniforms, with black boots, as seen below. The also wear a black vest and white caps. Today, there are over 40.000 Military Police troopers in town, with 39 Battaglions.

See picture below of Military Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro.



Municipal Guard in Rio de Janeiro is in charge for the supervision of traffic, beach patrolling and minor types of criminal occurrences. They are dressed in a brown uniform; brown pants, khaki shirts and white cap. The Municipal Guard troop doesn’t regularly use fire arms.

See below picture of Municipal Guard of the wonder city.




The third type of policemen found in Rio is formed by the National Force. This elite police is usually called upon special occasions like the Pan American Games, important conferences or presidential visits in Rio de Janeiro. They are easily identified by their camouflage uniform, black fire proof vest, and red berets. See below uniform of National Force:



Finally, the last type of police that can be seen in Rio is the Battalion of Special Operations-BOPE. This elite troop became worldwide famous because of the successful motion picture “Elite Squad”, which portrays some of the activities performed by this hardcore police. They wear a black uniform and are rarely seen close to the tourists’ scene. They can also be identified by their intimidating badge, which has a skull, crossed by 2 guns and a knife. See below BOPE uniform in action:




The Wonder City also has a battalion strictly dedicated to foreign tourists, and is called “DEAT” . The District for Attending to Tourists DEAT is a special branch of the Civil Police and is made up of a Delegate (Superintendent), detectives and clerks responsible for investigating and recording occurrences. The DEAT has its own offices conveniently located in Leblon in front of the Casa Grande and Scala theaters. The District was instituted and the police officers specifically trained to solve incidents involving foreign visitors.

Follow this link to Google Maps to the access this tourist battalion.


Please see address below for DEAT District:


Delegacia de Atendimento ao Turista - DEAT
Address: Av. Afrânio de Mello Franco, s / nº - Leblon
22430-060 Rio de Janeiro – Brasil
Phone: (55 21) 3399-7565 / 69
(55 21) 3399-7457 call center
(55 21) 3399-7562 intelligence service.
Fax: (55 21) 3399-7450

Angenor de Oliveira, “master” Cartola, synthesizes the samba and the Sambista. He was one of the greatest all time samba composers, and helped to create the traditional Rio de Janeiro Samba School Mangueira, choosing its name, colors and destiny. Cartola shortened the distance between samba writers and the middle class of Rio de Janeiro, helping to promote the carnival in the beginning of last century. Cartola´s 100th birthday anniversary this October is definitely an important date to be celebrated and remembered by Carnival community all over the world.

Cartola was born in the Catete district in Rio, on October 11 1908. He moved to Mangueira at the age of 11, and as a child was encouraged by his father to play the ukulele, a small 5 string version of a guitar. He finished grammar school, but decided to drop out when he was 15, after his mother´s premature death. Needing to make a living, he worked as a bricklayer, wall painter, car washer, and even night watchman. Also, for period of time, he had a job as an office boy in a public civil service department. Historians point out he was never able to make a living from samba or carnival, although he was a true composer genius. Cartola has his first album recorded only in 1974, at the age of 65.




Carnival and Samba researcher Ricardo Albin stated; “I already knew Cartola from the Zicartola Bar nights. One evening, I went over the National Radio Station to watch a program honoring singer Marlene. On the way up, the elevator stopped at the floor where the Secretary of Industry and Commerce was. You cant´ imagine my surprise when I saw Cartola greeting the guests – he was the doorman. I managed to take him to the show, where he was honored too. He was the sweetest and most cordial man I have ever met.”


The nickname Cartola came about at the time he worked as a bricklayer. He was a very vain man, and he hated when the cement dust fell on his hair. He managed to get a hat which looked very much like a top hat (cartola, in Portuguese), so his friends at work started calling him Cartola. None of them could imagine that name would be immortalized for ever as one of the greatest samba composer legends of all times.

In 1925, together with life-time song partner Carlos Cachaça, he founded a musical band called “The Arengueiros”. Three years later, The Arengueiros merged with two other existing samba groups to give birth to the traditional Samba School Mangueira, the second official major school in all samba history. This was April 28, 1928. Cartola joined other friends such as Saturnino Gonçalves, Marcelino José Claudino, Francisco Ribeiro, Euclides Roberto dos Santos, and Zé Espinguela, among others to write the samba school´s foundation document. (Deixa Falar samba school formed a few months before Mangueira by songwriters from Estácio and was officially the first major school to be formed. Later, Deixa Falar´s name was changed to Portela Samba School.)

Below we see a brilliant caricature by Leo Martins of legend Cartola, with the Mangueira shirt and a guitar.



Cartola composed samba school Mangueira´s first samba called “Chega de Demanda”, but his reputation spread outside the samba school when singers Mário Reis and Francisco Alves started buying the rights of his sambas. It is important to state that contrary to his partners, Cartola refused to share the song writing, giving in only when it came to the rights of record sales.

Another interesting point of his composing style is that sambas written by Cartola for Mangueira had a melody so beautifully done that they were recorded with many different tempos later on. One of them was “Não quero mais” from 1936, which was sung by Paulinho da Viola in 1973, under the title “Não quero mais Amar ninguém”.

Cartola has already some fame by 1942, having for example, composing songs even to Carmen Miranda. At this date Cartola participated together with others songwriters in a famous recording aboard a ship called “Uruguay”, with conductor Leopoldo Stokowski, who was then visiting Brazil. They were truly making history and as a result of these recordings, two 78 RPM albums were launched by Columbia in the United States. The following year, Cartola formed a band called Conjunto Carioca, and presented shows during one month in São Paulo. Later, he disappeared mysteriously from the musical scene, probably due to the death of first wife and meningitis he contracted.

What is certain is that in 1956, a casual meeting with journalist Segio Porto in Ipanema, made sure that this part of history of the Brazilian music would not miss one of its main and important chapters. The master of sambas worked washing the cars of rich ladies that had no idea he had written “As Rosas Não Falam” – “The Roses don’t Speak”, “Acontece”, “Corra e olhe o Céu”, “O mundo é um moinho”, “Autonomia”, “Minha” , “Tive Sim”, “Amor proibido”, “Ciência e Arte”, and so many other samba treasures. Sérgio then took him to sing at the Mayrink Veiga radio station, one of the most traditional at the time.

By 1961, Cartola has already met his second wife, Eusébia Silva do Nascimento, a.k.a. Dona Zica, and was again living at the Mangueira community. In 1963, he decided to open a bar, which was called Zicartola and lasted only for two years. The bar however was crucial to the revival of samba, since it became an important cross-section and meeting area between Rio rich south zone intellectuals, and songwriters from the creative north zone and Mangueira itself. Following this moment, Cartola and some of his songwriters friends like Zé Keti, Nelson Cavaquinho and other were able to promote their talent and songs outside the Mangueira limits, and recorded too their first albums.

Cartola finally recorded his first album in 1974, and in 1976 he released his second album. He had his official debut (after the releasing of his album) at the Gloria Theater and by 1977 he launched the classical album called “Verde que te quero Rosa”, by American Label RCA Victor. By 1979 Cartola recorded his last album called “Cartola – 70 anos”. Cartola died one year later of cancer, November 30th, 1980. Today, Cartola is recognized as more than a legendary founder of Brazilian Samba. Last year, filmmakers Lírio Ferreira and Hilton Lacerda paid a tribute to Cartola through an excellent movie that has his name as the title. The documentary had the participations of some of his friends like Nélson Sargento and musical commentator Nélson Motta. The documentary shows that more than a samba legend, Cartola is eternal and probably the original reference of Brazilian root samba.

Copacabana Rio de Janeiro 4 Bedroom Rentals: Rio de Janeiro is the spot if you are looking for sun and sweet days!

This precious Rio vacation apartment is extremely well decorated with white modern lines. The apartment has 3 ample decor suites, with king-size mattresses, cable TV, new linen, Air conditioning, black-out curtains, and many closets. All suite bathrooms have been recently renovated, with granite tops, fresh mirrors, and classic sink.

The living lounge in this Copacabana Rio de Janeiro 4 Bedroom Rentals looks like a modern 5 star hotel penthouse, with a large flat screen TV, leather furniture, and an easy to clean floor. All rooms have shut –out screens to avoid excessive light in the morning.



The kitchen has new appliances, (oven, brand new refrigerator/fridge, stove, micro-wave, etc) granite worktop, stainless steel sink, and all utensils a top gourmet would need. Everything in this 4 bedroom rentals is chic and practical.

Parking spots are also available. 24 hour doorman. This Copacabana Rio de Janeiro 4 bedroom rentals is perfect for a family or a few couples in honeymoon. This is truly of the best vacation beach rentals you will ever find in Rio de Janeiro in terms of luxury.



Relax in the worldwide Copacabana beach. Relax in Brazil ! We are sure this will be one of the best beach vacations of your life!


Apartment in Rio has a brand: Belavista-rio Rentals!

This is the ultimate 5 bedroom rentals in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Looking for a perfect spot for spending your New Year Vacation or Brazilian Carnival, you just found it!

This movie star Copacabana Penthouse is located at beachfront of worldwide famous Copacabana Beach. All built in Italian marble, this duplex penthouse has a singular panoramic view to all of Copacabana waterline, Christ the Redeemer, and the oceanic islands of Rio. You can even see Niteroi at the other side of the bay.



This Copacabana mansion has two dining rooms, a formal dining room for 20 persons, a convivial dining room with furniture designed by Philippe Starck for 10 persons, a salon with panoramic view on Copacabana beach and Atlantic Ocean. This 5 bedroom rentals in Rio de Janeiro also has chairs and tables designed by the French architect Le Corbusier, a TV salon with TV plasma Sony and home cinema Sony. Two junior suites ( Samba suite and Carnival suite ), two masters suites ( Bahia suite and Ipanema suite ), one presidential suite ( Copacabana suite). Each suite has its own marble bathroom and a completely new air conditioning system.


This 5 bedroom rentals in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro also offers you a private swimming pool in blue marble (5 meters large x 12 meters long) with a panoramic view on Copacabana beach and Atlantic ocean. The terrace of the swimming pool is furnished with double sun beds, like at Nikki beach in Saint Tropez or Marrakech.

On the terrace of this 5 bedroom rentals penthouse you will also find a barbecue and a pizza oven for lunch or parties.

The kitchen is completely new with all modern equipments.

This 5 bedroom rentals penthouse offers you a free access to internet Hi Speed with the largest capacity available 2 x 8 Megabits = 16 Megabits and cable TV network.



Two maids and a coordinator ( English, Portuguese and Spanish speaking ) will help you to facilitate your stay in Copacabana Terrace and in Rio de Janeiro.

On request : before your arrival, you can order to us all the beverages, foods and products you need. It will be delivered at your apartment from a supermarket and we do not take any fees or commission on this complimentary service. We offer to you the same service with dry cleaning.

All the apartment suites in this 5 bedroom rental have comfortable king or queen sized beds with linen and things. This penthouse went through a long renovation, in order to modernize internal structures, as well as decor.

Maid and butler available, along with 4 parking garage spots.

This exclusive ultra luxury 5 bedroom rentals in Rio de Janeiro at the Copacabana beach was definitely molded for celebrities like yourself. Please inquire us since we have other 5 bedroom rentals.

Stay in an apartment in Rio! We are sure this will be one of the best beach vacations of your life!


Apartment in Rio has a brand: Belavista-rio Rentals!

Ipanema Best Restaurants

Ipanema may be for Rio de Janeiro what Tribeca or Soho represents for Manhattan, guarded, obvious geographic and cultural differences. Even within Brazil, the neighborhood famed by the lovely song "The Girl from Ipanema", is a synonym for new trends, fashion, and eclecticism. To a certain extent, Ipanema may be microcosm of the colorful Rio character itself. Although Ipanema is a relatively small district, being the strip of land between the Ipanema Beach and the Rodrigo De Freitas Lagoon, the neighborhood and world famous beach also show diverse identities. Ipanema is home to several tribes that live in a harmony: the tourists, the surf crowd, the rich and famous, the new hippies, the jocks, the gay friendly, and the typical local Ipanema resident. Anthropological analysis apart, Ipanema hosts some of the most exotic and sophisticated restaurants in Rio de Janeiro. Within a few blocks, one can try the Latin taste of the trendy Pecado, which literally means Sin, in the heart of Ipanema, or decide for a softer tone at the seafood specialist Satyricon. Ipanema has more than fifty fine restaurants, bars, "botecos", coffee shops, juice bars and ice cream parlors. We reproduced below a few Ipanema restaurant reviews so that the international tourists will have an idea of what to expect. Please read below some of the options we prepared for you:

Doce Delícia

Make your own dish by choosing from 5 to 15 of the 42 combinations of vegetables, side dishes, hot dishes, and fruit at Doce Delícia. Quiche, salmon, grilled tenderloin, chicken, and cold pasta are some of the choices. Dressings range from the light and yogurt based to innovative creations combining mustard and lemon. There are plenty of vegetarian options. The slick decor and fresh ingredients make this a popular choice for a regular clientele in the trendy area of Ipanema. For a reasonable price you can also pick main dishes from the menu -- for example, the chicken breast with honey and rosemary sauce for R$17. Another hit at Doce Delícia is its rich pre-beach breakfast.



Above, a picture of the hot and sexy Pecado restaurant.

Esplanada Grill

The Scene

On a well-manicured shopping street in central Ipanema, four short blocks from the beach, this impeccable Brazilian steakhouse is a magnet for celebrity diners and highbrow carnivores. Known for its distinguished patrons and prized kitchen, the dining room features wall-to-wall photographs of semi-famous patrons and the bewildered Hollywood celebrity inundated by flashbulbs. The dark-paneled main room features tightly arranged wood tables with leather-cushioned club chairs surrounded by picture windows overlooking the surrounding neighborhood. Esplanada Grill is surprisingly formal given the more casual nature of Rio, especially Ipanema. Patrons should expect a dress code of long pants and sleeved shirts in the evening, with slightly more liberal requirements for afternoon lunch.


The Food:

A prompt waiter welcomes diners with a two-handed selection of complimentary appetizers including warm breads, artisan cheeses and traditional yucca flour. The menu at Esplanada Grill features Brazilian steakhouse specialties and hearty appetizers perfect for sharing. Meals begin with market fresh salads as well as small-plate seafood specialties like grilled octopus and calamari or jumbo shrimp cocktail. If you're a vegetarian you're probably in the wrong place, as main courses are a meaty symphony of kilo-sized fillets, porterhouses and double T-bones. Meats are presented on a signature iron grill, seared to perfection and normally on the rare side of medium. Esplanada Grill ´s desserts are a more predictable presentation of house cakes, ice creams and baked goods.


Gero

Rogerio Fasano, one of Sao Paulo's gastronomic legends, opened this Italian eatery—his first restaurant in Rio. Socialites, artists and political bigwigs flock to Gero in Ipanema, to savor such specialties as partridge and radicchio risotto or white polenta with squid. Daily for lunch and dinner. Vegetarian options are plentiful. Typical Italian desserts served include gelato and profiteroles. Gero is located at the more expensive end in this part of town but justified entirely

Below we see a shot of Gero, close to the Ipanema Beach.



Guimas

Guimas is restaurant where real Cariocas hang out. Guimas opened their original restaurant at the Gávea district, which became a reference for Rio gourmet fans in terms of quality and style. Later, the owners opened another unit in Ipanema, maintaining the Rio´s lassie-faire culture. Guimas Ipanema´s most successful dishes are the trout with leeks and the honey-roast duck with pear rice. Both move smoothly with the superfine caipivodcas (caipirinhas made with vodka instead of cachaça). The small but cozy open-air restaurant attracts a more colorful mix of diners as the night progresses.

Gula-Gula

For a lighter and healthier meal or snack, stop in at Gula-Gula. The menu includes delicious fresh salads such as the caprese -- a layered tower of sliced tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella – “the salada da casa” with mixed greens, pumpkin, goat cheese, and crisp bits of Parma ham, or the more Brazilian palm-heart salad with turkey and pineapple. Gula-Gula also serves a variety of grilled meats, chicken, and fish. Each selection of meat comes with a choice of sauce and two side dishes (vegetables, potatoes, or salad). Other lunch or light dinner options include pasta, quiches, and sandwiches. The Ipanema location has a lovely sidewalk patio. For dessert, you can try some of the low-cal options, but to live up to the name (gula means gluttony in Portuguese) it behooves you to try a “banana crème brûlée” or fruit strudel. Please note that Gula-Gula is a chain and there are several restaurants spread out over Rio de Janeiro. This review is related to the Ipanema unit. By Frommer´s Review.


Madame Butterfly

Considered one of the most sophisticated and expensive Japanese restaurant in Rio, Madame Butterfly is a must for Japanese food lovers, and was elected best in its category by gourmet specialists, rivaling with Sushi Leblon. Located at the heart of Ipanema, the food in Madame Butterfly is superb, and the highlights are the fish with shimeji mushrooms in ginger and sake sauce, the many different types of sushi and rolls with unusual shapes. Main dishes include grilled salmon with honey and miso, and the best sukiyaki in Rio. The restaurant occupies two floors, with a dining room located in the first floor and reserved booths upstairs. Valet parking is provided.



Above, the modern facace of the seafood master restaurant in Ipanema, Satyricon.


Satyricon

Famous for being international celebrities’ choice like Madonna and Sting, Satyricon in Ipanema is considered one of the top sea-food restaurants in Rio, if not number 1. The pargo (fish baked in a thick layer of rock salt) is the house specialty, and the sushi and sashimi are also well loved. Satyricon´s menu features were recently expanded offering several fish capriccios. When the season is right, try the fresh lobster with tagliatell. The service in Satyricon is usually excellent and it has a nice ambience. Although the restaurant has a reputation for being expensive, try to waive off the couvert and don't order drinks or desert and you'll get out of there for a reasonable price. Valet parking is provided.

We hope our readers we able to have a taste of Ipanema´s spice and charm. Ipanema has the true essence of Rio, and unquestionably, several flavors to choose from. So next time visiting Rio, relax and cool down in some of Rio ´s fanciest restaurants at Ipanema.

The Objective of this post is to describe the first Flags of Brazil, during its colonial days:

Order of Christ

Would you be kind enough to translate the following statement? "...1320, da Ordem de Cristo 1ª hasteada em solo brasileiro." The 1320 here apparently refers to a year, as all the other flags have dates of use listed. If that is so, how could this flag have been in Brazil at that time when, if I recall correctly, Portugal first arrived in Brazil in 1500? If I understand correctly, and please comment if you have other thoughts, the web site is trying to state that the "Order of Christ" flag [which was adopted in the year of 1320] was the first flag of Portugal raised over Brazil in the 1500s. That being the case, I could understand that the Order of Christ banner that was 180 years old at the time Brazil was colonized became the first flag in Brazil. Secondly, the flag shown is a red Order of Christ and to my memory all (or most) first flags of Brazil have been golden Order of Christ. Just by reference to later flags of Brazil, the Order of Christ is red, and I believe red is correct. However, there seem to be many golden flags shown in books.



The inscription indeed means "1320, of the Order of Christ. [adding a period, without which this makes no sense] First to be hoisted on Brazilian soil." I think there is some confusion here: Portugal only arrived in Brazil in 1500, but the Order of Christ was founded in 1320 (or something like that). So 1320 doesn't refer to the first time the flag was hoisted in Brazil, but when it was adopted.

The Order of Christ was the main financer and "pusher" of the Portuguese discoveries, the man behind them, Infante Dom Henrique [Prince Henry the Navigator] being a member of the order. Most if not all the ships that sailed to find new lands had members of the order in the crew and sailed under the flag of the order. In fact, the various banners of the order that are mentioned by António Martins were, at the time, nearly the equivalent of what would today be called naval flags or ensigns of Portugal. Therefore, as the British did with their ensigns, it was the banner of the order that was hoisted in the territories claimed for the Portuguese crown. This happened not only in Brazil, but also in the other territories in Africa and Asia. The usual thing, as far as I know, was for the captain of the ship to claim the territory for the King of Portugal and for Christianity--Christianity, naturally, being represented by the Order of Christ. The monuments the Portuguese left in the lands where they landed (called padrões) are a good example of this: they were topped by a cube containing four Portuguese escutcheons with the bezants (quinas) and atop the cube a cross of the Order of Christ.

As far as I know, there is no proper color to the Cross of Christ, but it is usually represented in red.

The Iberian Union, 1580-1640

Between the years 1580 and 1640 was the time know historically as "The Iberian Union". Brazil, was, of course, a Portuguese colony, but in 1580, the Portuguese King Sebastian I died (in a battle in Alcazar-Quebir, Morocco) without leaving children and his closest relative was his cousin Phillip II, the King of Spain, who become king of both Iberian Kingdoms. The Iberian Union lasted until 1640 when the Portuguese finally won a 18 year-long rebellion against Madrid and regained their independence.


From 1624 to 1661, part of northwest Brazil was Dutch Brazil. With the Spanish occupation of Portugal, the Netherlands, traditional commercial partner of Portugal but enemy of Spain, and with interests in Brazilian sugar cane, occupied the provinces of Pernambuco, Paraíba, Ceará, Alagoas, and, in the year 1641, Maranhão. The government of Dutch Brazil was administed by the Dutch West India Company (GWC). The flag used as the local flag of this period was the flag of the company (with the monogram). Today we can seen some Dutch descendants in the Northwest, which is in general a mixed Dutch and Indian people. The presence is noticeable in Paraíba and Ceará.

I am quite curious where you found this image; it differs quite a lot from the flag normally attributed to the Dutch West India Company.
Jarig Bakker, 14 June 2003

The Flag of the GWC was used during the Dutch occupation as the flag of Dutch Brazil and is shown in Clóvis Ribeiro's Bandeiras e Brasões as well as in various Brazilian history books as the "Dutch Brazilian flag."
André Pires Godinho, 15 June 2003

In Vexilla Nostra of March 1973, Karl Fachinger writes that the monogram might stand for CDIM (Companhia das Indias Meridionais), the Portuguese name for the Dutch VOC (East India Company), although he clearly states it isn't more then just a guess. In Vexilla Nostra of October 1973 an anonymous article contends that the monogram could show IMNCVD for Iohan Maurits van Nassau Catzelnbogen Vianden en Dietz. Johan Maurits van Nassau was governor-general of Dutch Brazil (also known as Nieuw Holland) and nicknamed "the Brazilian." Personally I find both guesses not very convincing.



Most histories that I have read give the dates of Dutch control as 1630-1654. See for example this very comprehensive account. (I think the flag image shown on that page is intended only as a generic West India Company flag and not as necessarily depicting what was flown in Brazil.)
Ned Smith, 14 June 2003

1624 is the year Salvador was taken by the Dutch, but the occupation lasted only one year. In 1630 the Dutch came back and conquered the coastal area of Pernambuco. The colony now lasted langer, until 1654 when Recife was taken by the Portuguese without a shot. In 1661 the Dutch rights were sold to Portugal for 8 million guilders.

Principality of Brazil


While Dom João IV was the King of Portugal, his son Teodósio [but see below--ed.], the heir to the throne, received the title of Prince of Brazil. So after 1645, every heir to the Portuguese throne was called "Prince of Brazil" (like the Prince of Wales in the United Kingdom). Thus Brazil became a principality and had its own flag. This flag can be interpreted as a personal ensign of the prince, but nevertheless it is a flag to represent the Brazilian Principality.


It seems to me that this is really a Portuguese flag, not a Brazilian one. F. Pereira Lessa points out in Bandeiras Históricas do Brasil (Rio de Janeiro: Gráfica Guarany, 1940) on page 45 that this was essentially a personal flag of the heir apparent to the Portuguese throne, not a flag to represent Brazil itself--just as the flag of the Spanish Prince of the Asturias is not the Asturian flag and the standard of the Prince of Wales is not the Welsh flag. In addition, as I understand it, designating Brazil a principality did not change the way it was governed, and it would seem this flag probably never flew there.




The Principality of Brazil was created for Teodósio (1634-53), Duke of Barcellos and Bragança and Prince of Portugal, elder son of Joao IV, but he died before his father. So, the Portuguese crown went to his second living brother Affonso, Affonso VI of Portugal.

Cont. This is Part II of the History of Rio de Janeiro Post.

Rio de Janeiro history was marked by great progression after the finding of gold in Minas Gerais 1693. The gold route went through the port of Rio de Janeiro and made Portugal one of the richest countries in Europe.

The goldstream made Rio even more attractive to the rivalling countries france and the dutch, and the city is attacked and defeated by the French admiral Duguay – Trouin with approximately 6000 men in 1711. To redeem it Portugal pays a huge ransome.

By 1763 the population of Rio de Janeiro exceeds 50,000 and is declared the capitol of Brazil.

Napoleon of France also has an important part in the development of Brazil. As he took on war in Europe, the seat of all Portuguese regency court fled to Brazil in 1808. 15,000 of the aristocracy, led by the regent Dom Joao VI, moved to Rio de Janeiro and resulted in a massive expansion of Rio de Janeiro’s streets, schools, banks, newspapers and so on.

Dom Joao made an important decision which made the economy boom; he opened the harbours to free trade with everyone, which had earlier been restricted to Portugal. The beginning of independence for Brazil.



Above, a picture of 19th century famous painter Jean Baptiste Debret of the court in Rio.

In 1821 Dom Joao returns to Portugal to fight an uprising revolution, but leaves his son Dom Pedro behind to govern the colony. Rio de Janeiro population has grown rapidly and now exceeds over 100,000 residents.

Influenced by brazilian nationalists, Dom Pedro declares independence one year later, in 1822. Dom Joao, unable to fight his own son, accepts Brazil independence and Dom Pedro is named Emperor Pedro I.

By 1826 Dom Pedro’s father dies in Lisbon making Dom Pedro the natural overtaker of Portugal. Dom Pedro abdicates as emperor and his son aged 15, assumes the throne; Emperor Betrau II

Rio de Janeiro continues to grow. In 1854 streets of Rio are lit by gas lamps and in 1874 the city is connected to London with a telegraph cable. Slavery which has influenced so many of Brazilian culture and tradition like Brazil’s national dish, feijoada and the ever so famous carnival with rhythms, feathers and dance is abolished in 1888.

In 1889 rich landowners take over control of the political power in Brazil by demanding a republic. The emperor abdicates to prevent a revolution and a bloodbath. The landowners divide the revenues between themselves. The differences between poor and rich increase. Presidents of Brazil are controlled by the landlords, and new presidents come and go.

Below, a vision of slavery in Rio de Janeiro by the 19th century famous painter Jean Baptiste Debret.



Passing into the 1900 century, tunnels are built to connect the south zone of Rio with the centre of the city. The world opens it’s eyes for Brazil and Rio de Janeiro in 1920, with the opening of the great Copacabana Palace. Brazil and Rio is considered exotic and several films brings samba to Europe and the states.

What is the history of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil? It seems like there is a fascination upon this subject, so we will be posting a series of articles related to the history of Rio de Janeiro, history of the coffee planatations, Portuguese Crown and Rio ´s importance in the world´s scenario.

The Rio de Janeiro history starts with the Portuguese claims on Brazil with the discovery of Porto Seguro by Pedro Alvares Cabral in 1500. Two years later on New Years day,1502, the inlet of Guanabara bay marked by the characteristic Sugarloaf is mistakenly assumed a river and called “Rio de Janeiro” which means “the January River” in English. Exactly who in Rio de Janeiro history is responsible for the discovery is unclear, but it is assumed that it’s either Andre Goncalves or the Florentine Amerigo Vespucci.

Below, a picture of Rio, 19th century by famous painter Jean Baptiste Debret.



In 1533, Brazil history continues by being divided into 12 capitanias (“Captaincies”). The Rio de Janeiro area of Guanabara bay is appointed to the Espirito Santo capitana. Rio de Janeiro history shows the area populated by the local Tamoio tribe which is curious about the new strangers from abroad. An expression which still remains in Rio even today has it’s origin from the natives; “Cari-oca”, which meant “house of the whites”. Today a Carioca represent a Rio inhabitant who is born and raised in Rio de Janeiro with parents from Rio.

At first the Portuguese took little interest in the southern areas of Porto Seguro and focused on extracting sugar in the north. The area of Rio de Janeiro was left for the French and renamed “La France Antartique” in 1555 by Nicholas de Villegagnon, a French knight of St.John.

The Rio de Janeiro history shows the first serious settlement called Sao Sebastiao founded in 1565 by Estacio de Sa, after the French are defeated and thrown out by governor-general mem de Sa. The early settlement developed slowly, located at the foot of today’s famous sugarloaf mountains for better defence possibilities.

Below, one of the first Flags of the Brazilian Colony.



1580 – 1640 in Rio de Janeiro history is marked by slow progression and continued attacks by the French and the Dutch across all of Brasil. After 1640, begins a time of missionary both to the north and south of Rio.

The year of 1693 is an important year for Brazil history; gold is found in Minas Gerais, just north of Rio de Janeiro and the time of the gold rush started!

Roads where built from Rio and out to the gold mines, and Rio de Janeiro became the primary shipping harbour of gold to Portugal. All kinds of fortune hunters immigrated to Brazil and Rio de Janeiro grew to become an economic sentre of the huge country Brazil.

Continued at Part II of "What is the history of Rio de Janeiro Brazil" post.

Who said São Paulo doesn’t have Samba or beautiful women? Last Saturday, October 4th, Jaqueline Khury, 25 year old model and actress was awarded Drum Queen for a São Paulo Samba School called Academicos do Tatuapé.

The ceremony was held at the Samba School court in São Paulo, and had many reporters and samba admires, anxious to watch the moment when the model would be officially bearer of the Drum Queen post. Jaqueline Khury proved also she is not only a marvelous model, but knows the Samba dance. On the "coronation ceremony", Jaque Khury was wearing a white dress which enchanted all percussionists and samba school components. Jaqueline Khury kissed the Official Samba School flag, and promised to use all her energy to help the Tatuapé become the next champion at the São Paulo carnival parade.




This São Paulo Samba School was founded in 1952, and is considered a important Samba School for the development of the carnival in São Paulo. Although is not part of the "Special Group", Academicos do Tatuapé Samba School has been obtaining good scores in the last carnival parades, and promises a great carnival in 2009. Academicos do Tatuapé will parade next to other samba schools of “Group 1” of São Paulo Carnival, which grants access to the São Paulo main parading group. Academicos do Tatuapé has this name since it established itself in a large neighborhood/ region in São Paulo called Tatuapé, and has as its official colors white and blue.

Below we see another picture of the Drum Queen Jaqueline Khury, where she shows her new tattoo.

APOLOGIZE TO THE PURIST among Brazilian history scholars and to manuscript collectors, but Pero Vaz de Caminha's letter in 1500 was the first advertising poster to depict our homeland. Don Manuel, king of Portugal at the time, never published the letter perhaps to ward off the greed of other nations...

Luckily the twentieth century international travel businesmen did not share his views and called on a number of designers to produce some unforgettable, brightly-colorede, striking images. In a straight-forward language or in dreamlike settings of breathless wonder, they conveyed the idea that coming to Rio de Janeiro was like living out a fairy tale...

Though they cannot be considered a contemporary novelty (the first newspapers published in France back in 1631 already displayed advertisement), billboards did not develop fully until the late nineteenth century. Employing lithography and off-set techniques, they were so sophisticated that often six or seven colors were used.

"Ridding the streets of the gray and dark monotony of buildings aligned as if by a ruler: splashing them with colorful fireworks, spreading joy; turning walls into adornable surfaces, and extracting from this outdoor museum the true nature of a people while at the same time educating the taste of the collective unconscious." This was Roger Marx"s introduction to the exhibit of one of the earliest geniuses of billboard art, Jules Chéret, in 1889.



Both during the art nouveau (1880-1914) and art déco (1920-1950) eras bustled with finely crafted samples of this art, and the posters of those days are the most sought-after by museums and collectors alike. Testimonials of a country"s artistic and economic history, they went from just mere advertising media to become aesthetic and profitable printed treasures. The nostalgia they evoke, aside from their decorative appeal, stimulates the booming collectionism we see today. In nearly thirty years of pursuit, with Paris as a starting pont (where more museums, art dealers and experts devoted to the subject are found than anywhere else in the world), I have just recently managed to gather ten samples...

Vistas are never the same in any two posters about Rio de Janeiro.There is a clear concern with capturing the nuances of sunlight at a unique point in time. Often a wild sunrise lights up the entire poster. Dreamlike images. These are pre-globalization moments, though.The written language is not always the same spoken by the cruise ship or airline owners. There are several several examples of this. KLM (Dutch) using French; PanAM (American) writing in German...



It is intriguing to find that the name of the city is absent in most of the surviving posters. As if everybody knew that those beaches, those mountains, that bay are Rio de Janeiro.We simply read South America.Designers apparently assumed that the vistas were so well known that it would be enough to mention the continent. The loveliest city in the world, as foreign magazines and newspapers described it, became an icon for the whole continent.

One of the most remarkable affiches, the 1946 "Air France" poster designed by Victor Vasarely - the founding father of Op-Art - shows a far-off and vague landscape. All that stands out are silhouetes of Sugar Loaf and Corcovado. A huge rising sun reflecting on the Atlantic Ocean waters, where waves and shadows interwine top duplicate the black-and-white design of the famous Copacabana sidewalks takes up most of the poster area. This "road toward the sun",hopes of a new beginning, is the message conveyed by many of the best known posters made to draw both tourists and immigrants weary of the wars of the Old World.




Going back to Pero Vaz de Caminha"s letter to His Majesty; we are surprised by the statement that the art of prints, of drawings, of engravings, of posters - in short, anything on paper cannot survive because the medium will not last. These advertising posters, some nearly a century old, prove otherwise. After all, what medium was used to write the very first inventory of the Brazilian wealth five hundred years ago?

Rio de Janeiro is definately the most famous place in Brazil to visit. Don´t miss this chance!