Nature and history at Quinta da Boa Vista

Park carries memory of the age of the Empire in Brazil

In So Cristovo neighborhood, the Quinta da Boa Vista attracts sports lovers for
running and cycling, but the area also houses the National Museum, the Zoo and
the Restaurante da Quinta, which reflect the history of Brazil since the arrival of
the Portuguese court in the country back in 1808. The National Museum is the
largest museum of natural history and anthropology in Latin America and Brazils
oldest scientific institution; but it previously served as a residence for the
Portuguese royal family until 1822 and subsequently for the Brazilian imperial
family until 1889. And the history lesson does not end there! The main entrance
to the Zoo has a gate presented by the British Duke of Northumberland, in 1816,
as a wedding gift to Emperor D. Pedro I and his empress, Maria Leopoldina of
Austria.

RIOZOO
Passing through the monumental gate, you enter an area of 138,000 m that
houses the City of Rio de Janeiro Zoological Gardens Foundation (RIOZOO). This
zoo is the oldest in Brazil and receives an average of 90,000 visitors a month.
Altogether, there are 400 species of reptiles, mammals, birds, fish and
amphibians, many of which are rare or endangered. Examples are the golden
parakeet, golden-bellied capuchin monkey and the king vulture.

National History Museum

The palace in Quinta da Boa Vista, where the Brazilian royal family lived before
the beginning of the Brazilian Republic, is now the home of Latin Americas
biggest museum archive. The building located in the Quinta da Boa Vista park
has served as the National Museum of Natural Historys headquarters for 196
years. That is enough time to gather pieces in the areas of paleontology,
archeology and botany, among others. In the two floors that are open to the
public, the History of life is told, all the way back from the age of the dinosaurs.
Fossils, mummies and objects in the everyday life recovered in several parts of
the world give life to the content of schoolbooks. Indigenous art from South
America is right next-door to vases from the Mediterranean made in ancient
times, and both exhibits are just as recognized as Egyptian stone tombs donated
to Brazils emperor Pedro I, father of Pedro II, who was a science enthusiast.
However, there is more than History in the museum: the Biology section is
impressive in the number of species of stuffed animals, as well as gigantic
statues in the hallways.

Quinta da Boa Vista Restaurant

If youre planning on having lunch at the Quinta da Boa Vista Restaurant, youre
in for a treat. Every client that walks in is welcomed by a couple in outfits like the
ones worn during the colonial era in Brazil, which serve as a uniform for the
entire team. The environment is planned out to give the impression that we are
still living back in the day, when the building served as a chapel for the Brazilian
royal family. The restaurant was founded in 1954 and was completely renovated
when the management changed back in 1991, but vintage French paintings are
still hanging on the walls, sharing room with bottles of scotch and whisky.
One of Quintas traditions is the day-to-day menu: a dish with rabbit is served on
Mondays, oxtail on Tuesdays, stew on Wednesdays, clambake on Thursdays,
feijoada on Fridays and, to wrap up the week in great style, lamb cooked in white
wine with a side of potatoes, carrots and oven-baked rice. However, the codfish
the restaurants most famous dish can be appreciated any day. If you like
exclusivity, you should go on a rainy day. The movement is down because less
people visit the park, and the restaurants air-conditioning keeps the
temperature mild. Besides, an electric kart like the ones you see in golf courts
takes customers from the designated parking lot (one of the four lots in the park)
to the salons door.

Text Adapted from: http://www.rioguiaoficial.com.br/noticias/natureza-e-historiana-quinta-da-boa-vista Access on Sep. 5th, 2014.