The Palácio Monroe was a monumental hall in the Centro neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was named in honor of U.S. president James Monroe. It was originally built in the U.S. city of St. Louis to act as the Brazilian Pavilion during the

1904 World's Fair The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an World's fair, international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federal funds tota ...

. Following the World's Fair, the building was dismantled and transported in cargo ships to Rio de Janeiro, where it was rebuilt in 1906. Its grand opening at the 3rd Pan-American Conference was held on July 23, 1906. From 1914 to 1920, the palace was used as the home of the Brazilian Congress. From 1925 to 1960 it was used as the home of the

Brazilian Senate The Federal Senate ( pt, Senado Federal) is the upper house of the National Congress of Brazil. When created under the Imperial Constitution in 1824, it was based on the House of Lords of the British Parliament, but since the Proclamation ...

. In 1975, the architect and urban planner Lúcio Costa, who was the national chief of the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (''Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional'' – IPHAN), created a public controversy by refusing to sign the landmarking act of Palácio Monroe. The building was slated for demolition because of the construction of the Rio de Janeiro Metro, but in the face of public and media outcry, the construction company shifted the line to preserve the building. This effort, however, was in vain, because on October 11, 1975, the Brazilian president Ernesto Geisel authorized the building's demolition and a developer razed the building in March 1976. The decision was contrary to the State of Rio de Janeiro's decision declaring the building an Official Landmark in 1974. In 1979, the Cinelândia Station was opened as one of the first five stations of the then-new metro network, on the site of the demolished palace.

Gallery

File:Palácio Monroe (funeral de Joaquim Nabuco).jpg, Palácio Monroe in 1910, during the funeral of

Joaquim Nabuco Joaquim Aurélio Barreto Nabuco de Araújo (August 19, 1849 – January 17, 1910) was a Brazilian writer, statesman, and a leading voice in the abolitionist movement of his country. Early life and education Born in Brazil, Joaquim was the son ...

. File:Sight-seeing in South America (1912) (14595357060).jpg, Palácio Monroe in 1912. File:Palácio Monroe (cartão-postal).jpg, Palácio Monroe on a postcard. File:Palácio Monroe (15774001372).jpg, Interior of the Palácio Monroe, showing the Senate floor. File:Demolição Palácio Monroe.jpg, Demolition of the Palácio Monroe in 1976. File:Planta do 1° pavimento do Palácio Monroe, Rio de Janeiro.tif, Plan of the 1st floor of the Palácio Monroe drawn in 1924, preserved in the National Archives of Brazil.

References

External links

Palácio Monroe – Por que foi demolido?
Demolished buildings and structures in Brazil Buildings and structures in Rio de Janeiro (city) Former seats of national legislatures World's fair architecture in Missouri World's fair architecture in South America 1904 establishments in Missouri 1904 disestablishments in Missouri 1906 establishments in Brazil 1976 disestablishments in Brazil History of Rio de Janeiro (city) {{Brazil-struct-stub