The Catete Palace, also known as the Museum of the Republic is definitely one of the most interesting cultural attractions in Rio de in Brazil to visit. The Catete Palace was the seat of Brazil's Republican Government from 1897 to 1960 and scene of activities of eighteen Presidents, and has seen some of the most important events in Brazil's political life, including the Declaration of Brazil's entry into World Wars I and II and the suicide of President Getúlio Vargas in 1954.
Transformed into a museum when Brasília became the nation's capital in 1960 one of the most important facts about Rio de Janeiro, and closed for restoration from 1983 through 1989. The Republic Museum/Catete Palace, located at Catete, close to the Flamengo neighborhood, reopened with a broad-ranging cultural program that includes exhibitions, concerts, plays, movies, videos, boutiques, restaurants and a book-store. The gardens of the Museum acquired new lighting, with the replacement of 71 forged iron posts - in the eclectic style - with other posts with contemporaneous designs made of steel. Today, on the ground floor, the Entrance Hall and the Ministerial Room still retain the solemn atmosphere of capital meetings and decisions regarding the nation's destiny. Two long-standing exhibits present historical information about the first occupant of the Palace and his descendants and about the inauguration of the Republic Museum. The remaining rooms hold temporary exhibits that represent varied aspects of Republican Brazil.
On the second floor, known as the "noble floor" is very luxurious and its thematic diversity stand out. The Chapel room and the Blue, Noble, Pompeian, Venetian, Moorish and Banquette rooms show off their vintage Brazilian and French furniture, paintings from artists such as Baptista da Costa, Gustavo dall'Ara, Décio Vilares, Rodolfo Amoedo, Henrique Bernardelli, besides sculptures, chandeliers and porcelain from the 19th and 20th Centuries. The third floor highlights the reconstruction of President Getúlio Vargas' room. The remaining rooms are devoted to the display of objects, text documents and photographs from the Republic Museum's own collection. The complex also hosts a cult movie theater. The theater is especially known for its art movies and is named "Cinema Museu da República". You can check the theater's schedule in any newspaper in town.
Catete Palace Additional Information
Additional Information on the Catete Palace: Address: Rua do Catete, 153 - Catete Open Hours: Tues-Thurs-Fri, noon-5pm Wed, 2pm-5pm- Sat-Sun-Holidays, 2pm-6pm. Free admission Sundays and Wednesday to the Catete Museum. Phone: (21) 3235-2650 the garden within the Catete Palace is opened for visits until 10 pm.
