The Works of Mestre Valentim Tour
Follow this guide to see the remaining works of the 18th century's greatest sculptor, artist, architect and urban planner—the son of an enslaved woman—who left an indelible mark on the city of Rio de Janeiro.
Locations for Tour
The Works of Mestre Valentim Tour
In 2015, José do Nascimento Junior, Carmen Machado, Luisa Maria Rocha, and Julia Guttler came together to launch "The Master in the Garden", a project for the restoration and memory preservation of Mestre Valentim and his works. The project was…
National History Museum
The two wood carved statues and the cast chandelier, now on display in the permanent collection at the National History Museum, were created by Mestre Valentim during the period of 1801-1812 as part of the Brotherhood of the Holy Cross of the…
The Third Order of Our Lady of Carmo Church
Across from Praça XV, there are two old churches side-by-side. The 3rd Order of Carmo is the one on the right, if you are facing the churches. The church was constructed between 1755-1770, though the bell towers were not completed until the 1840s.…
Praça XV
The Pyramid Fountain was constructed in 1789 and supplied fresh water to both city residents and ships for 99 years. The location of the fountain marks the original shoreline, while the contour of the plaza as you see it today was not built out until…
São Bento Monastery
Founded in 1590 by Benedictine monks from Bahia, this is one of the oldest colonial sites in Rio de Janeiro. The church construction began in 1633. Built with stolen labor of captured Africans and financed through sugarcane production, the…
Our Lady of Conception and Good Death Church
This church was built in 1735 when 2 different dissedent Brotherhoods decided to join forces—The Brown Brotherhood of Our Lady of Conception (1721) and Our Lady of the Assumption and Good Death (1663). Mestre Valentim carved the high altar and the…
Saint Francis of Paula Square
One of the largest churches in the city of Rio de Janeiro, San Francisco de Paula was constructed between 1759 to 1801. Mestre Valentim's decorative work was carved between 1801 and his death in 1813. The church is open daily for visitation —…
Public Promenade Square
Passeio Público (Public Promenade) is tauted as the first public park in all of Latin America; the location of the first public art in all of Brazil; and as the location of the first cast bronze sculpture in all of South America. Those are some…
Castro Maya Museums
Raymundo Ottoni de Castro Maya (1894-1968) was, among many other things, an avid art collector. Chácara do Céu was his home and he left it—along with his collection—to the public.
At the top of the stairs, on the top floor, you will see two very…
Lizard Fountain
"To the thirsty people, the Senate gave water in abundance. Year 1786"The construction of this fountain started in 1785 and was completed in 1786. It still stands today on Rua Frei Caneca, next to the famous Sambadrome where the annual Carnival…
Praça General Osório
Chafariz do Saracuras or the Wood Rail Fountain stands today in the middle of General Osório plaza in the neighborhood of Ipanema, where Rio's famed Hippie Fair takes place every Sunday from 9:00am to 5:00pm.The fountain, built in 1795, was…
History of the City of Rio de Janeiro Museum
The Mallard Fountain (Chafariz das Marrecas) was built in 1785 as a public service water fountain. Located at what is now the corner of Rua Evaristo da Veiga and Rua das Marrecas, it was demolished in 1896 to make room for the expansion of the police…
Botanical Gardens
The absolutely breath-taking statues of Narcissus the Hunter and Echo the Nymph were originally part of the Chafariz das Marrecas, the Mallard Fountain. Constructed in 1785, the fountain was demolished in 1896 and the statues were removed. Now…