The history of Granado, the most traditional apothecary in Brazil, is old and as rich as the raw materials used to compose various moisturizers, soaps, perfumes, and other products. Most likely, you have already used Polvilho Antisséptico, a glycerin soap, or some other item, haven’t you?
Emperor Dom Pedro II, during his reign from 1831 to 1889, was a prominent figure in the country’s history. His personal wealth was not primarily associated with an exorbitant material fortune, but rather with a vast cultural, intellectual, and emotional richness.
Antônio Carlos Gomes, born in Campinas and considered the greatest composer of operas in the Americas, was a fervent admirer of Verdi. Some say that at the age of eighteen, he composed a march based on themes from Il Trovatore. With the support of Emperor Dom Pedro II, Carlos Gomes received a scholarship to further his studies in Europe. The Emperor would have preferred Carlos Gomes to go to Germany, where the great Richard Wagner was prominent, but the Empress, Dona Teresa Cristina, Neapolitan herself, suggested Italy.
Many reasons led to the coup d’état in 1889, and it is no secret that Dom Pedro II was the greatest statesman Brazil ever had. He spoke multiple languages, was highly educated, and had a penchant for innovation and technology. At the international fair in the United States, he was the one who received the first telephone call from Graham Bell, drawing the world’s attention to this great inventor. He was someone who loved inventions.
“Carlos Gomes’s Last Days,” a 1899 painting by Domenico de Angelis and Giovanni Capranesi.
The Mauá Railroad, officially known as the Imperial Steam Navigation and Petrópolis Railroad Company, was the first railway established in Brazil and the third in South America. It was built in 1854 by Irineu Evangelista de Sousa, Baron of Mauá. Initially, it connected the Port of Mauá to Fragoso, in Rio de Janeiro, with later extensions to Petrópolis and Areal.
The Independence of Brazil, which occurred on September 7, 1822, represents a fundamental moment in the country’s history. On that day, Prince Regent Dom Pedro I proclaimed Brazil as an independent nation from Portugal, marking the end of over three centuries of colonial rule and the beginning of a new journey towards freedom and sovereignty.
Electricity arrived in Brazil primarily for public lighting, which proved to be more efficient than previously adopted methods such as gas or kerosene, during a historical period when the country was among the global pioneers in the application of electric power. This was made possible by the interest of Emperor Dom Pedro II, a science enthusiast, in the emerging technology.
In August 1888, the city of Rio de Janeiro welcomed the return of Emperor Dom Pedro II after a year-long trip to Europe for medical treatment. As they sighted Guanabara Bay, they saw the tribute made by the students of the Military School, then located at Praia Vermelha. They had placed a twelve-meter sign on top of Sugarloaf Mountain with the word “Salve” (Hail).
On July 15, 1889 Dom Pedro II suffered an assassination attempt in Rio de Janeiro. Dom Pedro II, accompanied by his wife, daughter, and eldest grandson, went to the Sant’Anna Theater, now known as the Carlos Gomes Theater, in Rio de Janeiro. At the end of the performance, well past midnight, among the crowd, the Imperial Family made their way towards the exit. The imperial princess led the way, followed by the emperor, who had his arm linked with the empress, and behind them was Prince Pedro Augusto. Everything was going well until the emperors and princes reached the vestibule, where a sudden cry of “Long live the Republic!” erupted.
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