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Palacio Tiradentes, photo by Halley Pacheco de Oliveira .

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Palacio Tiradentes

The Tiradentes Palace , Portuguese: Pal谩cio Tiradentes, was inaugurated on 6 May 1926 and is located in the Centro neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was the former seat of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil, between 1926 and 1960, and is currently the seat of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

The name came about after Tiradentes was taken prisoner and sentenced to hang because of a conspiracy born in Minas Gerais that in May 1789 attempted the establishment in Brazil of an independent republican government.

The building’s dominant style is the eclecticism, with classical and renaissance features. In front of the building lies a large statue of Tiradentes, made by sculptor Francisco de Andrade, mirroring the representation that was made by painter D茅cio Villares.

1.The Palace replaced another building on the same spot

The old building, demolished in 1922, photo by  N煤cleo de digitaliza莽茫o.

The very first building that existed before the Tiradentes Palace was named Casa de C芒mara e Cadeia which translates to the house of Chamber and Jail. The construction of the chamber and jail was requested by the local government of Rio de Janeiro in 1631.

In 1640 the construction begun and it housed the three aldermans of Rio de Janeiro who worked on the upper floor. The jail on the other hand functioned on the lower floor.

2.The origin of the its name Tiradentes Palace

Tiradentes statue, photo by Halley Pacheco de Oliveira.

The structure that existed before the palace was built was a house of Chamber and Jail that was used to imprison people and it was also where the aldermans would be housed.

One of the prisoners to be held in the jail was the Minas Gerais Conspiracy, Joaquim Jos茅 da Silva Xavier, also known as Tiradentes. He was imprisoned for approximately three years, until his execution was done by hanging on 21 April 1792.

It was named in honor of Tiradentes, who was hanged for conspiring against the Portuguese crown; the conspirators wanted to establish a republic in Minas Gerais in 1789.

3.The building once served as the seat of the constituent tasked with creating Brazil鈥檚 first constitution

Before the building was made to house the General Constituent Assembly in 1822, the building served many purposes. It severed as the seat of the Chamber of Deputies and later the Senate.

In1808, it housed the Portuguese royal family’s servants after the transfer of the Portuguese court to Brazil. Later after Brail’s independence in 1822, Rio de Janeiro was the country’s capital and the building became the seat of the General Constituent Assembly, tasked with creating Brazil’s first constitution, in 1823.

It later became the seat of the General Assembly of the Empire of Brazil, the lower house of the country’s legislative branch. Due to its old age the Chamber of Deputies was then transferred to the Monroe Palace.

4.The construction of the palace in the eclectic style

When the old imperial building was demolished in 1922 it gave way to the construction of the Tiradentes Palace. The design intended for the place was in the eclectic style by Archimedes Memoria and Francisque Couchet.

The design is a 19^th and 20^th century style where a single piece of work incorporated a combination of various elements from earlier historical styles to bring out something original and innovative.

The project for its construction was approved on 25 December 1921 and when it was done its inauguration took place on 6 May 1926, the same date in which the first Legislative Chamber of the Empire of Brazil was established a hundred years earlier.

5.The construction cost around 14 contos of r茅is

The construction of the building was quite costly with a total of around 14 contos of r茅is. This was the real official currency of Brazil till 1942.

The old reis currency on modern real is equivalent to 2.75 quintillion. Since the existing funds were not enough, money and other materials were donated by other Brazilian states to assist in its construction.

6.Tiradentes Palace becoming the Legislative Assembly of the State of Guanabara

Palacio Tiradentes’ Interior, photo by Halley Pacheco de Oliveira.

The palace was the former seat of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil, between 1926 and 1960, and the seat of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro when the city of Rio de Janeiro was the Federal District.

When the federal capital moves to Bras铆lia in 1960, the city of Rio de Janeiro ceased to be the Federal District. Consequently, the Tiradentes Palace began to house the Legislative Assembly of the State of Guanabara between 1960 and 1975.

 The state then merged with the state of Rio de Janeiro and the Tiradentes Palace began to house the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro. In addition all presidents of Brazil between 1926 and 1960 took office at the Tiradentes Palace.

7.The palace hosts the current Legislative Assembly of Rio

At present, the palace hosts the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro as well as a Permanent Exhibition called Palacio Tiradentes: Lugar de Mem贸ria do Parlamento Brasileiro.

It was the former seat of the Chamber of Deputies of Brazil, between 1926 and 1960, before it became the seat of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

8.The palace has an extraordinary dome

Palacio Tiradentes dome, photo by Halley Pacheco de Oliveira.

 When the old imperial building was demolished in 1922 it gave way to the construction of the Tiradentes Palace. The design intended for the place was in the eclectic style by Archimedes Memoria and Francisque Couchet.

The dome is quite stunning and is divided into eight panels, four large and four minor panels. The visualization of the panels has more than just its physical meaning. The larger panel represents the evangelization of the indigenous peoples.

The Empire of Brazil era is represented by figures such as Jos茅 Bonif谩cio, Diogo Ant么nio Feij贸 and the Emperor Pedro II while the four minor panels portray the landing of Portuguese navigator Pedro 脕lvares Cabaral in Brazil

9.The Tiradentes Palace as a symbol of Brazil as an independent nation

All the items from the exhibits to the paintings and the decorations of the wall one way or the other are designed to represent Brazil as an independent nation.

The two huge allegorical sculptures at the palace delineate Don Pedro I as a symbol of the country鈥檚 independence and Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca, as a symbol of the Republic while the statue in front of the facade of the Palace represents Tiradentes.

The huge central dome of the Plenary Hall is concealed by a glass panel that represents the sky of Brazil on the morning of November 15, 1889, the day of the proclamation of the Republic.

10.The paintings on the wall represent different historical facts of Brazil

Mural by Eliseu Visconti, photo by Eliseu Visconti.

Eliseu Visconti, a painter, was the one who created the decorative paintings around the Hall were the work and represent different historical facts of the country are exhibited.

The paintings on the dome reflect this idea and present Brazil’s history with the idea of a natural evolution: beginning with European discovery and finishing in the Republic.

The Tiradentes Palace is indeed a great place to visit with a free guided tour by students of History and Social Sciences of the University of Rio de Janeiro.

Visitors can get to learn the history and admire the Permanent Exhibitions on display and visit to the Plenary Hall. The tours are usually done in Portuguese but it is easy to comprehend during the guide.