The Guanabara Palace in Rio de Janeiro was originally of neoclassical design, its construction started by the Portuguese José Machado Coelho in 1853, initially serving as a private residence until the 1860s. In 1865, it became the residence of Princess Isabel and her husband, the Count d’Eu, hence known as the Paço Isabel.
The property belonged to the emperial family until the coup of 1889 when it was seized by the military government and transferred to federal ownership by a decree in 1891. In 1908, during the celebrations of the centenary of the arrival of the Portuguese court in Brazil, a new renovation was undertaken, giving the palace eclectic characteristics.
The palace was used by Getúlio Vargas as his official residence during the Estado Novo (1937-1945) and was attacked during the uprising of the Integralist Action.
Matheus Araújo
Matheus Araújo is the founder and editor of Brazilian History. Born in Rio de Janeiro and holding a degree in Advertising and Marketing, his passion for history led him to enroll at the Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, where he is currently pursuing a degree in History Education.
