JARDIM BOTÂNICO

Among the wonders of Rio that cannot be missed, the Botanical Garden is in a good place, just after, perhaps, the Sugar Loaf and the Redeeming Christ. This superb park is considered one of the ten most important botanical gardens in the world. In addition to the knowledge of plants and trees from all over the world, the botanical garden appears as a haven of peace and contact with nature in which to bask.

When the Prince Regent of Portugal, Dom João VI, moved to Rio in 1808, he immediately wanted to build an acclimatization garden for his personal needs, such as tea, a custom he had brought back from Europe.

The Botanical Garden is about 140 hectares and includes part of the sugar cane plantation that existed in colonial times. The royal garden is crossed by two streams called the riacho Iglesias and the rio dos Macacos, which supply the garden with water from the Tijuca forest. It contains about 6,000 species of plants and trees from all over the world, not counting the original species from Brazil. The first two buildings you see on the right, after the entrance, belonged to two of the many directors of the botanical garden. Pacheco Leão's blue house, built at the end of the 19th century, is used for various exhibitions. One of the strong symbols of the Botanical Garden is its long rows of imperial palm trees that run along the gate, with a backdrop view of the Corcovado. These palms come from Malaysia and were brought by Dom João VI when he arrived in Rio.

The garden contains two small miniature gardens, one of Japanese inspiration, the other of Amazonian inspiration. All the cast iron fountains and sculptures in the garden come from the Centro and were transferred during the modernization of the avenues.

To remember, the name of Marshal Manoel Marques, who also brought back many plants from French Guiana, including the famous coffee. The central fountain dates from 1905 and comes from the door of the former Academy of Fine Arts. In the alley straight ahead, one can see a pau-brasil tree, which gave the name to Brazil, and the pond covered with the magnificent and famous Vitoria Regia, giant water lilies. The canopy in front offers a nice variety of carnivorous plants. The next alley leads to the Orchids canopy. The cactus park contains an impressive number of cactus in a variety of shapes! The Botanical Garden shop offers fine books and your purchases will help to maintain the garden.