Palace Profile: Paço Imperial

Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Built: 1738-1743
Architect: José Fernandes Pinto Alpoim
Commissioned By: Gomes Freire de Andrade, Governor of the Capitania of Rio de Janeiro
Style: Portuguese Colonial
Current Owner: Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage, for the Ministério da Cultura
Current Use: Cultural centre, home of the Paulo Santos Library
Fun Fact: For almost 150 years, the palace was the epicentre of political power in Brazil, through four changes in governmental style (which brought about name changes – it was first Governor House, then the Viceroy’s Palace, then Paço Real, before finishing as Paço Imperial).

A full list of Palace Profiles can be found here.

Filed under Brazil
Tagged Paço Imperial.