Imagine Rio de Janeiro in 1922. It was a city undergoing radical transformations. We are standing before what was once known as Morro do Castelo.
Morro do Retiro, as it is now known, holds echoes of a past. It was a time when Brazil sought to present itself as modern. The then-capital aimed to mirror the elegance of Europe.
But let’s rewind a bit. The history of Rio de Janeiro stretches back to the early 16th century. Portuguese explorers arrived here. They named the area Rio de Janeiro, meaning January River. The city was officially founded in 1565.
Now back to Morro do Retiro. In 1922, Brazil celebrated the centenary of its independence. The government decided to host a World Expo to showcase the nation’s progress. The destruction of Morro do Castelo served to make room for this exposition.
The decision to demolish Morro do Castelo had deep roots. The elite held racist views. They believed Brazil needed racial refinement. They encouraged European immigration to purify the Brazilian race. This involved cleansing public policies. The goal was to instill new habits in the population.
Urban cleansing was underway. Authorities used it to justify the removal of tenements in the center. They blamed the poor for unsanitary conditions. The authorities wanted to remove hills. They wanted to widen roads. They wanted to apply codes of civil conduct.
The destruction of Morro do Castelo created new outcasts. Evictees sought housing in informal settlements. They moved to peripheries or hillside squats. This pattern of self-organization by the working classes met their needs. The state neglected those needs. The favela became one such solution.
Before its demolition, Morro do Castelo had been a strategic point. It was key to maintaining Portuguese rule. It was the heart of the city. It had been since the 16th century.
The demolition wasn’t without its critics. Benjamim Costallat critiqued the destruction of the city’s birthplace. Costallat saw it as a lack of thought from political leaders. He felt discomfort about cleansing Rio’s central region. Black, poor, and favela residents lived there.
The city lost historical assets. These included the S. Sebastião Church. It also included the Jesuit School and the Clock Tower.
Today, Morro do Retiro stands as a reminder of this complex history. It reminds us of the tensions between progress and preservation. It also reminds us of the human cost of modernization. The buses that go to this region still have Castelo as their destination. It revives its memory in the everyday life of the city.
Take a moment to reflect on the layers of history. Consider the people who lived and worked here. Think about the decisions that shaped this landscape. Morro do Retiro invites us to remember. It urges us to learn from the past.