Known as the Imperial City, Petrópolis (opens in new window – in portuguese)) is located in the state of Rio de Janeiro (opens in new window – in portuguese) , in southeastern Brazil, 120 km from Juiz de Fora. This city was founded on March 16, 1843 by Emperor D. Pedro II and played an important role in the history of Brazil, with great constructions from the colonial period that date from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, accumulating a rich heritage. The Imperial City is a beautiful city with many green areas. The European style and mountain climate are perfect for those who want to know a little more about history and experience a mild weather.
Visiting this tourist destination is surely a way to dive in the 19th century. The Museu Imperial (opens in new window – in portuguese), for example, is a former summer palace of D. Pedro II, where the family spent the last hot months of the year. This destination has a collection of about 200 thousand original documents, engravings, maps and photographs, in addition to the costumes worn by royalty and the beautiful crown of D. Pedro II.
Museu Imperial – photo by Naty Castro Palácio Rio Negro – photo by Wania Corredo
There is also the Catedral de São Pedro de Alcântara, a church in Gothic style, with beautiful stained glass and impressive architecture, where lie the remains of D. Pedro II, Dona Teresa Cristina, Princesa Isabel and Conde D’Eu. The Palácio Quitandinha is another tourist attraction in Petrópolis, which was built to be the largest Hotel-Casino in America, welcoming illustrious characters such as Walt Disney and Carmen Miranda. There is also the Wax Museum (opens in new window – in portuguese) and the Santos Dumont House, known as “The Enchanted ”, where Santos Dumont, considered the Father of Aviation, lived and where there are several books, objects, letters, furniture, among other items today.
In addition to its great historical collection, Petrópolis also has areas for ecotourism such as the City’s Natural Park of Petropolis and Serra dos Órgãos National Park, where you can go on trails, hiking, climbing and abseiling. In fact, the park has the largest network of touristic tracks in Brazil and seeks to conserve the enormous biodiversity that exists in its territory.
In Petrópolis it is also possible to take a gastronomic tour of the city that has great restaurants, and if you are a beer lover, you can get to know Bohemia Brewery, the first brewery in Brazil, where the entire brewing process can be explored while enjoying good food.
If you are interested in this attraction, and want to know more about it, follow the virtual tour. (Opens in new window – in portuguese).