Cultural City Historic City.

A tour with a historical background is essential to learn about the monuments and the originality of a culture that is unique, the Wonderful City. We will start with a visit to the Brazilian colonial art heritage and Unesco´s Cultural Heritage, the São Bento Church, which is one of Rio´s architectural treasures. The construction, which took two centuries of work, started in 1586. The São Bento Hill, where this Church is located, is an island of silence amidst the hectic Downtown Rio. And the monastic simplicity of its external area contrasts with the exuberance of the most authentic Brazilian Baroque. Continuing the tour, we pass by Pio X Square, where we have the Nossa Senhora da Candelária Church (1775). This Church is one of the most beautiful in Rio, with its cathedral-like style. The ceiling paintings in the main aisle have a unique beauty. We may also observe the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center, the city´s most active and refined cultural center. Moving ahead, we have the Paço Imperial, an example of the Portuguese colonial architecture, built in 1743 to be the governors´ residence. It has also witnessed important events, such as the crowning of D. Pedro I and D. Pedro II. Nowadays, it is a mixture of Museum and Cultural Center. Moving on with the tour, we may visit Confeitaria Colombo, founded in 1894 to be the main meeting point for intellectuals and aristocrats. The enormous mirrors with frames sculpted in jacaranda, with its original furniture, the paintings on the walls, the chandeliers and the skylight offer an authentic art-nouveau environment, where we have the sensation that we are coming back in time. Closing our tour, the Fine Arts National Museum, with its Renascence inspiration, several galleries holding great masterpieces, especially by Brazilian artists from several different times.