The land where the Palácio Tiradentes stands today, in Rio de Janeiro, has been the scene of many important events in the history of Brazil. The first building of the imperial parliament was built there, in 1640. On its lower floor there was a jail, called “old jail”, which housed prisoners from the colonial period. There, for three years, he was imprisoned Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier, Tiradentes. The miner inconfidente was kept in the old jail until the date of his hanging, on April 21, 1792.
In addition to the prison, the building also simultaneously housed the Chamber of Deputies. And so it was until 1808. With the arrival of the Royal Family in Brazil, the building was designated to function as accommodation for royal servants. In 1914, the Chamber of Deputies was transferred and eight years later, in 1922, the building was demolished. In its place, Tiradentes Palace was born, inaugurated on May 6, 1926, under the command of architects Archimedes Memoria and Francisque Couchet. The duo opted for the Eclectic style for construction. Among the most striking architectural details is the facade in reinforced concrete and the dome with sculptures representing Independence and the Republic. Inside, it is adorned with paintings by Rodolfo Chambellandand a stained glass window that reproduces the night sky of November 15, 1889 – date of the Proclamation of the Republic.
From its opening until 2023, Palácio Tiradentes has housed different government institutions, but since 1975 it has been the seat of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Alerj). The building has recently reopened its doors to visitors and offers free guided tours. During the 40-minute tour, athe history of Brazil class is offered while visitors explore the almost secular architecture of the building – it is 97 years old. Fernanda Figueiredo, director of Alerj’s culture department, comments that visitors will have the opportunity to get to know the Barbosa Lima Sobrinho plenary, which was the scene of important moments in the history of national politics. And they will also visit the commission room, the library (with its rare collection) and the Great Hall, among other spaces.
“It is a reunion of the population with the historic headquarters of Alerj. The palace will continue serving the state Legislature, hosting formal sessions, meetings and official receptions, in addition to the population, reaffirming its objective of bringing society closer to its history”, said Fernanda.
Visits must be scheduled in advance, through the address [email protected]. There are spaces for 50 visitors in the morning and 50 in the afternoon, from Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 5 pm.