A visit to “Palácio do Catete” (or Museum of the Republic)
Today we have one more Rio tip — beyond the basics. At the same time a place that leads back to the past, but super contemporary: the Museum of the Republic. But the locals just call it just “Palácio do Catete”.
This was the most important building in Brazil when once Rio was the capital of the country. In one of its rooms in 1954, President Getúlio Vargas committed suicide. Today the palace is a building that overflows culture, with movies, exhibitions, literary events and more.
Learn more at the ‘Museu da República’ website. (In Portuguese)
In the president’s gardens (the old one)
Right at the entrance, you can already see a garden that extends to the end of the block, with a lake, large moving sculptures and many benches to read and have a chat.
In the building, you will find exhibitions about the Vargas era, and also vintage movie theatre rooms, with a very cult programming, almost always with European and non-mainstream films, as well as a cafeteria.
Cool movie and the Aterro park to up your mood.
The place also hosts many literary and gastronomic events, aside from university seminars, focusing on themes such as design, literature and the visual arts.
And still, it is possible to see the ‘Aterro do Flamengo’, where people have fun running, playing or just sitting on the grass alone or with the family.
The ‘Aterro do Flamengo’ park peaks on Sundays when traffic is blocked and the pedestrians populate the whole area. There, people like to skate and even make a cookout, our well-known picnic.
How to get there
The most practical way to get to ‘Palácio do Catete’ is by subway. The place is next to the Catete station. By bus, there is Circular Line 1, which comes from Leblon, passes through Ipanema, Copacabana and Botafogo and stops at the door of the palace.
Now, if you are in Laranjeiras, near the Largo do Machado, and enjoy a quick walk, it worths going on foot.
Who is in downtown (Centro), can get the Troncal 6, which comes from Central do Brasil station. Now for the people who are in the North Zone, there is not much another way. It is necessary to take a local bus to the nearest subway station and do a transfer.
Final tip
Nearby, on Buarque de Macedo Street, right across from Rua do Catete towards Largo do Machado, there is Bartman, a geek-style bistro, with a Batman statue and all. A good place for a cold beer and relaxing, also having a good bat-fries!!!
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Until the next tip!
