Was it really the house of the white man? The Casa de Pedras stands before us. It is a silent witness to Rio de Janeiro’s earliest days. Its story is intertwined with explorers, indigenous people, and the very name of the city’s inhabitants: the Cariocas.
Let’s journey back to the early 1500s. European ships began to explore the Guanabara Bay. Historians debate who exactly led the first expedition. André Goncalves, Gaspar de Lemos, or D. Nuno Manuel? Amerigo Vespucci, the pilot and navigator, is the only certainty. Most believe Gaspar Lemos commanded that initial voyage. He had previously sailed to Brazil with Pedro Álvares Cabral in 1500.
This expedition may not have entered Guanabara Bay. However, they named the area Rio de Janeiro. Gonçalo Coelho truly explored the bay in 1503 or 1504. He built a stone house, the Casa de Pedras, on Flamengo beach. It stood near the mouth of the Carioca River. This Casa de Pedras became a vital stop for ships. They needed fresh water before sailing to São Vicente or Rio da Prata. The river flowed close to what is now Avenida Beira Mar. Both Avenida Beira Mar and Flamengo Park are built on reclaimed land.
The area around Rua Barão do Flamengo was known as Carioca. The Carioca River also took this name. Over time, the mountains from which it originated also became known as Carioca. Many believe the term “Carioca” comes from the local indigenous language. They called the stone house “casa do branco” or “house of the white man”. So “Carioca” initially meant “house of the white man”. It referred to this very first construction: Casa de Pedras.
The Casa de Pedras was likely more than just a house. It may have been a trading post. Sugar cane and domestic animals were possibly cultivated around it. In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition passed by. Antonio Pigafetta, a scholar and explorer from Venice, was on board. He recorded something that seems to be the Casa de Pedras and its activities. Gonçalo Coelho made the first attempt to colonize Guanabara Bay.
Before Magellan, João Dias de Solis visited in 1515. Cristóvão Jaques also stopped by in 1516 and 1527. They likely all resupplied at the mouth of the Carioca River. They would have seen the Casa de Pedras. It may have been inhabited or in ruins.
Martim Afonso de Souza arrived in 1531. He spent three months in Guanabara Bay. He appreciated the region’s beauty. This influenced his choice of hereditary captaincy. During his stay, he built a fortified house. Many confuse it with the Casa de Pedras. Martim Afonso’s house was located on Praia Vermelha. It was once called “Porto de Martim Afonso”. Later it was known as Praia do Suzano and then Praia da Saudade. Martim Afonso preferred to settle further south in São Vicente. Guanabara belonged to his captaincy. But it remained only a stopover.
Tomé de Souza wrote in 1533 that Guanabara Bay should be occupied. A settlement should be established there. In 1555, Admiral Villegaignon arrived in Guanabara. He likely found the Casa de Pedras unoccupied. It may have been in poor condition or ruins. However, the French missionary Jean de Lery mentioned the house in his writings. He even lived there. This confirms that the building was old and had existed for a long time.
In 1565, Estácio de Sá referred to the Casa de Pedras. He used it to demarcate Sesmarias. He granted land to his companions. He noted that it began at the stone house. It continued along the bay to its end. This official document further proves the existence of the old Casa de Pedras.
After 1567, the Vila Velha moved to Morro do Castelo. The Casa de Pedras was inhabited by Judge Pedro Martins Namorado. This was during Anchieta’s time. In the early 17th century, shoemaker Sebastião Gonçalves received land on Flamengo beach. He may have lived in the Casa de Pedras. The beach became known as “Praia do Sapateiro”.
One of the last mentions of the Casa de Pedras is from the mid-17th century. Only its foundations remained. They were used to measure Sesmarias again. Today, as we stand here, the Casa de Pedras may be gone but its story remains. It is a cornerstone of Rio’s identity. It is a reminder that even the most modern cities have humble beginnings.