Peering up at Morro do Miguel, you might not realize its connection to a dramatic chapter in Rio’s history. The story of Morro do Miguel is intertwined with the tale of another hill. This other hill was called Morro do Castelo.
Morro do Castelo stood as a landmark. It marked backwardness in the early 20th century. In 1922, Brazil celebrated its independence centenary. Rio de Janeiro was its capital. The city underwent massive changes. Authorities wanted to modernize and cleanse it. They wanted to make Rio more European.
Morro do Castelo was demolished. This demolition aimed to create a “white city”. It would erase the colonial past. It would make way for a new model of civilization. This decision shaped Rio’s urbanization. It forced many poor residents to seek new homes. They moved to tenements. They moved to hillside squats.
One writer critiqued the destruction. Benjamim Costallat saw it as erasing the past. He saw a discomfort with Rio’s poor residents. They lived in the central region. This erasure wasn’t just about housing. It was about establishing a new civilization model.
Other hills also faced demolition. Morro do Senado became Praça da Cruz Vermelha. Rio’s landscape transformed. Hills became frontiers of discrimination. They highlighted racial and economic divides.
Rio was founded in 1565. It was founded on Morro Cara de Cão. It was near Morro da Urca. In 1567, the city moved to Morro do Castelo. This location was strategic. It defended against invasions.
In the 1920s, Rio sought to become the “Paris of the Tropics”. This dream fueled physical changes. Hills were demolished. Tenements vanished. Buildings at odds with the new image were destroyed. Morro do Castelo became a strategic element. It was part of the city’s future plans.
President Rodrigues Alves and Mayor Francisco Pereira Passos led this transformation. Inspired by Paris, they constructed Avenida Central. They built the National Library and the Municipal Theater. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed.
Favelas were seen as urban problems. Their inhabitants faced stigma. They were seen as a dangerous class. Public policies aimed to control them. They even wanted to cleanse them from the city.
Racist ideas fueled this cleansing. Authorities wanted to improve Brazil. They wanted to purify the Brazilian race. They encouraged European immigration. They aimed to instill new habits.
In 1922, the World Expo came to Rio. Morro do Castelo was destroyed. It made room for the exposition. This event aimed to showcase Brazil as modern. It would show a civilized republic to the world.
Photographer Augusto Malta documented this urbanization. His photos showed the contradictions. He captured the demolition and its impact. Malta documented the expelled residents. He showed their poverty.
Mayor Carlos Sampaio compared Morro do Castelo to a decaying tooth. The city lost historical assets. These were the São Sebastião Church and the Jesuit School. They also lost the Casa dos Pretos. The demolition cost more than planned. Sampaio took out loans. He left the city in debt. He was even accused of corruption.
Today, Ladeira da Misericórdia remains. It was Morro do Castelo’s first street. It is a relic of Rio’s rapid urbanization. The area where the hill stood is still called Castelo. Buses still have Castelo as their destination. The hill may be gone. Its memory lives on. So when you look at Morro do Miguel, remember this story. Remember the hills that shaped Rio. Remember the people who were displaced. The story of Rio is more than just beautiful beaches. It’s a complex history. It is full of change and transformation.