Originally a stinky lagoon. That is how the area where the Passeio P\u00fablico now stands began. Welcome to the Passeio P\u00fablico in Rio de Janeiro. It is a park with a rich history. It is also the first public park in the Americas.
In the late 1700s, the Vice-Rei Dom Lu\u00eds de Vasconcelos e Sousa commissioned the park’s creation. He tasked the artist Mestre Valentim with designing it. Valentim drew inspiration from Lisbon’s public gardens and the gardens of Queluz Royal Palace.
The Passeio P\u00fablico addressed a sanitation problem. The Boqueir\u00e3o da Ajuda lagoon was dirty. It caused diseases to spread. The project involved draining the lagoon. The material came from dismantling Morro das Mangueiras.
Mestre Valentim designed the park in the French style. It featured straight paths and decorative elements. These included fountains and statues. The iron gate still stands. It features the royal arms. It also has images of Maria I and Pedro III of Portugal. A central path led to the Fonte dos Amores. It also led to a terrace with sea views. This spot was popular for enjoying Guanabara Bay’s beauty. It was a meeting point for Cariocas.
Some original decorations remain at the Passeio P\u00fablico. The Chafariz do Menino fountain dates back to 1783. It includes granite obelisks. There is also the Fonte dos Amores. It features bronze jacar\u00e9 statues. The statues of Ninfa Eco and Ca\u00e7ador Narciso are now in the Botanical Garden. They once decorated the Chafariz das Marrecas.
Originally, the Passeio P\u00fablico had two pavilions. They displayed paintings of Rio landscapes by Leandro Joaquim. Six of these paintings still exist. They are in the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes. They are also in the Museu Hist\u00f3rico Nacional.
In 1864, the park was renovated. Emperor Pedro II requested the changes. The landscape architect Auguste Fran\u00e7ois Marie Glaziou led the redesign. While preserving original elements, the garden layout changed. It now featured winding paths and lakes. The design imitated a natural forest. A large, winding lake was added. There was also a smaller, round lake. Today, only the larger lake remains.
Pereira Passos built a public aquarium in the Passeio P\u00fablico between 1902 and 1906. It had twenty glass tanks. It displayed various saltwater fish species. The naturalist Al\u00edpio de Miranda Ribeiro wanted to educate visitors about Guanabara Bay’s marine life. The aquarium was later demolished. This happened during Henrique Dodsworth’s administration.
Successive landfills changed the park’s location. The Passeio P\u00fablico was once by the sea. Now, it is in the city center.
Since 1938, the park is a national heritage site. This includes the main gate. It also includes the Chafariz dos Jacar\u00e9s and the obelisks.
In 2004, a major renovation took place. The goal was to restore Auguste Glaziou’s design. The project cost 1.8 million reais. Besides landscaping, structural work was done. This included drainage and lighting. Monuments were restored. Historical research identified old structures. These included the bases of the aquarium. It also found the Theatro Casino and Casino Beira-Mar foundations. These venues were popular in the 1920s. They offered parties and dances. They were demolished in the 1930s.
Granite steps of the Chafariz dos Jacar\u00e9s are visible again. It is also known as Fonte dos Amores.
The Passeio P\u00fablico regained its artistic value. It also recovered historical information about Rio de Janeiro. In 2017, the park reopened after renovations.
Local legend tells a different story of the Passeio P\u00fablico’s creation. Vice-Rei Lu\u00eds de Vasconcelos fell in love with Susana. She lived by the lagoon. Susana’s fianc\u00e9, Vicente Peres, complained about the affair. Susana defended the Vice-Rei. Vasconcelos gave Vicente a public position. He sponsored their wedding. He built the Fonte dos Amores for Susana. Valentim sculpted two jacar\u00e9s in the fountain. They represented himself and the Vice-Rei. Three herons symbolized the couple and Susana’s grandmother.