The Monumento Rodoviário da Rodovia Presidente Dutra is a monument and former rest area on the Rodovia Presidente Dutra section of the BR-116, at Kilometer 226 of the Serra das Araras in

Piraí Piraí () is a municipality located in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro. Its population was 29,545 (2020) and its area is 505 km².IBGE The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics ( pt, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e E ...

, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Construction

Construction of the monument started on 18 May 1926, with the foundation stone laid in 1928 by Washington Luiz, and it was inaugurated on 13 May 1938. It was created as a highway rest area and tourist observation point, and had a large restaurant and leisure area. It comprises of construction adjacent to the highway, with a garden area including a pond, and an art deco building, tall, with two floors under a tall tower that has an aerial lighthouse at the top. It was conceived by the

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, designed by Raphael Galvão, and engineered by Mario Chagas Doria and Christiani & Nielsen. Its interior featured four panels by Candido Portinari, measuring , with the theme of "Building a highway". The exterior has eight bas-relief panels by

Albert Freyhoffer Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albe ...

showing the change in transport over time, from a litter to a carriage and

ox cart A bullock cart or ox cart (sometimes called a bullock carriage when carrying people in particular) is a two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicle pulled by oxen. It is a means of transportation used since ancient times in many parts of the world. They ...

up to the car in the 1930s.

Closure

The monument was closed in 1978, and has been decaying ever since, with significant vandalism. It was registered as cultural heritage on 27 August 1990. The Portinari panels were removed in October 2000, restored in 2001, and are now on display at the

Museu Nacional de Belas Artes The Museu Nacional de Belas Artes (MNBA; Portuguese for National Museum of Fine Arts) is a national art museum located in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The museum, officially established in 1937 by the initiative of education minister , was ...

. A public civil action to restore the structure was filed by the Federal Public Ministry of Volta Redonda in October 2015. The concessionary that runs the highway past the monument says that the concessionary contract does not cover the maintenance of the monument, although it presented a plan to restore the monument that was approved with reservations before 2016, with no further progress.

References

{{Reflist, 30em, refs= {{cite web , title=Monumento Rodoviário , url=http://www.saopauloantiga.com.br/monumento-rodoviario/ , website=São Paulo Antiga , accessdate=16 February 2019 , language=pt-BR , date=3 August 2013 {{cite news , last1=Verde , first1=Do G1 Sul do Rio e Costa , title=Monumento rodoviário de Piraí, RJ, está com estrutura comprometida , url=http://g1.globo.com/rj/sul-do-rio-costa-verde/noticia/2016/07/monumento-rodoviario-de-pirai-rj-esta-com-estrutura-comprometida.html , accessdate=16 February 2019 , work=Sul do Rio e Costa Verde , date=9 July 2016 , language=pt-br {{cite web , last1=Guedes , first1=Postado por Vera , title="Monumento Rodoviário" na Serra das Araras em Piraí-RJ encontra-se abandonado , url=http://www.jornalis.com.br/2014/04/monumento-rodoviario-na-serra-das.html , accessdate=16 February 2019 {{cite news , last1=Dia , first1=O. , title=Farol na Serra das Araras: descaso que já dura 35 anos , url=http://odia.ig.com.br/odiaestado/2014-06-03/farol-na-serra-das-araras-descaso-que-ja-dura-35-anos.html , accessdate=16 February 2019 , work=O Dia - _legado_O Dia no Estado , date=4 June 2014 , language=pt-br {{cite web , title=Comunicação Social , url=http://www1.dnit.gov.br/historico/dutra.htm , website=www1.dnit.gov.br , accessdate=17 February 2019 , archive-date=15 July 2018 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715012944/http://www1.dnit.gov.br/historico/dutra.htm , url-status=dead {{cite news , title=Leitora alerta para abandono e falta de conservação de Monumento Rodoviário , url=https://oglobo.globo.com/rio/leitora-alerta-para-abandono-falta-de-conservacao-de-monumento-rodoviario-2978337 , accessdate=17 February 2019 , work=O Globo , date=19 July 2010 , language=pt-BR {{cite web , title=INEPAC , url=http://www.inepac.rj.gov.br/index.php/bens_tombados/detalhar/220 , website=www.inepac.rj.gov.br , accessdate=17 February 2019 , language=PT-br Rio de Janeiro (state) 1920s architecture Monuments and memorials in Brazil Rest areas Art Deco architecture in Brazil Lighthouses in Brazil Abandoned buildings and structures Buildings and structures completed in 1938