The Santa Cruz Estate is a former imperial country retreat in

Santa Cruz, Rio de Janeiro Santa Cruz (''Holy Cross'') is an extensive and populous neighborhood of the high class, lower middle and low in the West Zone of the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the farthest from the center of Rio de Janeiro. Cut by the Santa Cruz ex ...

. Originally a Jesuit estate and convent dating from 1570, it became a residence of the Portuguese viceroys in Brazil at the end of the 18th century. When King John VI and the royal family moved the court to Brazil in 1808, the palace became a royal residence. After the king's return to Portugal, the Prince Regent Pedro I continued to use the palace. Upon his marriage to princess

Leopoldina Leopoldina may refer to: * Colônia Leopoldina, a Brazilian municipality in the state of Alagoa * Leopoldina, Minas Gerais, a Brazilian municipality in the state of Minas Gerais * Maria Leopoldina of Austria (1797-1826), consort of emperor Pedro I ...

in 1818, they spent their honeymoon in the palace. The estate became one of the imperial palaces with the independence of Brazil in 1822. Emperor Pedro II later used the palace as a summer residence. Following proclamation of a

republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...

in 1889, the palace was converted to a military school. It has continued to function as an academy to the present.

References

* Freitas, Benedicto. Santa Cruz-Fazenda Jesuítica, Real e Imperial. Volumes I, II e III. Rio de Janeiro, Asa Artes Gráficas: 1985. * Gama, José de Saldanha da. História da Imperial Fazenda de Santa Cruz. Revista do IHGB - Tomo 38

External links

* http://www.quarteirao.com.br/imperial.html * http://leituradaslentes.blogspot.nl/2012/02/fazenda-dos-jesuitas-fazenda-imperial.html
Santa Cruz Estate
* http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/noticia/2011-05-16/historiador-alerta-para-descaso-com-patrimonio-da-fazenda-nacional-de-santa-cruz An article about the current state of the palace Santa Cruz, Imperial palace of Palaces in Brazil {{Brazil-struct-stub