Since his first trip to Europe, Emperor Dom Pedro II had wanted to meet the writer and staunch republican Victor Hugo, but the great writer’s isolation and the emperor’s previous travel schedule did not cooperate. On his new visit to Europe, with the famous writer once again established in Paris,
Electric lighting arrived in Brazil, mainly in public lighting, proving to be more efficient than previously adopted methods, such as gas or kerosene, in a historical period in which the country was among the world’s pioneers in the application of electrical energy. This was made possible by the interest of
The Nabuco Chapel Mausoleum was the work of Italian sculptor Giovanni Nicolini, inaugurated in 1914, commissioned by the Government of Pernambuco. It features a visual narrative, depicting half-naked men, women, and children theatrically portraying the effort made to raise the coffin of the one who was the “redeemer of the
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
Emperor Dom Pedro II and Empress Dona Teresa Cristina were simple individuals, averse to any kind of luxury, and palace meals were characterized by frugality. The Emperor’s favorite dish, always present in every meal, was soups, especially a succulent chicken broth. It seems that this preference was some kind of
Alberto Nepomuceno (1864-1920), a Brazilian conductor and composer, was born in Fortaleza, the capital of Ceará. His parents were Vitor Augusto Nepomuceno and Maria Virgínia de Oliveira Paiva. He began studying music with his father, who was a violinist, organist, teacher, and chapel master at the Cathedral of Fortaleza. In
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
The first Brazilian composer to achieve international renown, Antonio Carlos Gomes (1836-1896), was born in Campinas, São Paulo, on July 11, 1836. After graduating with distinction, Carlos produced his first opera, “A Noite do Castelo” (September 1861), which was a great success.
The book The Kingdom That Was Not of This World: Chronicle of an Unproclaimed Republic was published in 2015 by Valentina Publishers. This non-fiction work was written by Marcos Costa, and I read it in the Kindle version. Marcos Costa initially considered becoming an architect but soon changed his mind
I finished reading the book “My Formation” by Joaquim Nabuco, a book that reveals many details about Brazil and the world in the 19th century and sheds light on the author’s personality. I have already written my review of the book “Abolitionism,” where you can find the roots of the
It is no secret to anyone the case of revocation of the Princess Isabel Order of Merit by the Ministry of Human Rights, which is seen by Dom João de Orleans e Bragança, the great-grandson of Princess Isabel, as “another revengeful primacy” of recent governments. The Order, created by former
Machado de Assis was one of the most renowned and influential Brazilian writers. Born on June 21, 1839, in Rio de Janeiro, he is considered one of the greatest masters of Portuguese-language literature. His works span various genres, including novels, short stories, poems, chronicles, and plays. Throughout his life, Machado
Discover all the currencies that Brazil has ever had! Banknotes and coins are an integral part of our daily lives, and often we use them without paying attention to their history or unique features. In Brazil, over the years, several banknotes and coins have been minted, each with its own
Discover the biography of Dom Pedro II! Dom Pedro II was the second and final Emperor of Brazil. He became regent prince at the age of five when his father Dom Pedro I abdicated the throne. At the age of 15, he was declared of age and crowned Emperor of
The book The Abolitionism, authored by Joaquim Nabuco, was completed in 1883, during the period when several laws were in effect to restrict slavery within the national territory. However, it was still five years before the total abolition of slavery. It is an integral part of the abolitionist campaign, of
