Recife Born on the pier from a natural anchorage, Recife began to expand in 1537 towards the neighborhoods now called Santo Antonio and São José.

Os sugarcane mills from its surroundings gave rise to neighborhoods such as Graҫas, Madalena and Casa Forte, always on the banks of the Capibaribe river, which cuts through the entire city.

In 1630 - when the dutch invaded Pernambuco – there were 121 mills operating with slave labor.

Getting to know Recife means visiting historical landmarks built on mangrove embankments and today squeezed between narrow central streets and intense commerce.

It also means enjoying the sun on the urban beaches and their surroundings over an extension of 20 kilometers, from Maria Farinha to Candeias, especially Boa Viagem, in the neighborhood of the same name, where the best accommodation and accommodation options are concentrated. services.

The neighboring cities, so close that they can be reached in a few minutes from the center, complement the capital's routes: thus, the best views of Recife are from the viewpoints of Olinda, just 7 kilometers to the north.

The people from Recife also frequent the nightclubs of Olinda and the strongholds of Boa Viagem and the neighborhood of Recife, or Recife Antigo, as the historic center is called.

To the south of the capital, in the metropolitan region, is Jaboatão dos Guararapes, with good hotels by the sea and which preserves an important historical monument – ​​the church of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres dos Montes Guararapes, built in 1782 in the place where the expulsion of the Dutch from the Northeast in 1654.

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URBAN BEACHES IN REEF

The beaches of Pina and Boa Viagem and the neighboring beaches of Piedade and Candeias, in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, are frequented by residents and visitors.

All have stalls, umbrellas and a strong street trade – vendors offer everything from fresh pineapple to bean broth.

Boa Viagem beach, whose sidewalk has a jogging path and standardized kiosks, stands out among the most structured.

The stretch of beach in front of the Acaiaca building, between Félix de Brito and Antonio Falcão streets, concentrates the young crowd. On this beach, as in the others, a warning: pay attention to the signs that indicate regions with danger of shark attacks.

The tip is to enjoy the sea only at low tide and never exceed the reef barrier. Surfing is prohibited.

Sharks in Recife

The beaches of Pina and Boa Viagem, in Recife, and Piedade and Candeias, in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, are considered risk zones for bathers and, especially, for surfers.

According to data from the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, since 1992, 50 attacks by sharks of the flat-head (Carcharhinus leucas) and tiger (Galeocerdo cuvieri) species have been recorded in the city, with nineteen dead. Most of the accidents occurred on Boa Viagem beach.

Specialists attribute the attacks to a local ecological imbalance caused by the construction of the Suape port in the 1980s.

Signs on the edge indicate dangerous areas for bathing, released at low tide and in the natural pools close to the sand, isolated and protected by reefs. At these points, it is prohibited to surf and swim beyond the limits of the reefs.

RECIFE TOURIST POINTS

1. TOUR ON THE CAPIBARIBE RIVER

Recife reveals itself from an unusual point of view on a catamaran ride along the Capibaribe river. The route shows how central urban areas are divided according to the course of the river.

The tour begins at the anchorage of Forte das Cinco Pontas, passing by the Parque das Esculturas and the neighborhoods where Recife began its history: the historic center and the islands of Santo Antonio and São José, arriving as far as Boa Vista.

On the way, the Maurício de Nassau and Buarque de Macedo bridges, rebuilt at the beginning of the 1826th century, can be seen with monuments such as the Paҫo Alfandega (XNUMX) and the church of Madre de Deus (XNUMXth century).

The route continues along the Praça da República until reaching the point where the Capibaribe river meets the Beberibe river, at the height of Rua da Aurora, with multicolored houses, culminating in the Casa da Cultura.

2. FORTRESS IN RECIFE

Located at the entrance to the port of Recife, Forte do Brum was built in 1629 by the Portuguese and, a year later, taken over by the Dutch. Originally made of mud, it was rebuilt with stone after the exposition of the invaders in 1654 (Praa Comunidade Luso-Brasileira, no number, Recife Antigo).

The Fort of São Tiago das Cinco Pontas, from 1630, also built in rammed earth with five bastions, was part of the Dutch defense system.

The then Fort Frederik Henrick was practically destroyed after the Portuguese victory and, in its place, a new stone fortress was built, this time with only four bastions and a chapel dedicated to Saint James.

It houses the Museum of the City, which has a curious collection of photographs and old maps of Recife (praҫa Cinco Pontas, no number, São José).

3. HISTORICAL CENTER

The historic center of Recife, also known as Recife or Recife Antigo, is a strip of land washed, on one side, by the waters of the Capibaribe river and, on the other, by the Atlantic Ocean.

In this earthen hold there are some of the strongest symbols in the city's memory – starting at the port of Recife, always cut off by the whistle of a departing ship.

Modern buildings merge with architecture of old buildings, vestiges of the Dutch presence in the city and urban interventions from the beginning of the XNUMXth century, which gave the neighborhood a French-inspired layout.

The best way to unveil the secrets of Recife Antigo, with its cobblestone streets and cobblestone streets, and walking, discovering ice cream parlors, restaurants and places to drink juice and coconut water.

4. FRAME ZERO

The official name is Praça Barão do Rio Branco, a circular space from whose bench you can see the sea and the movement of the city.

Marco Zero marks the starting point of the roads in Pernambuco, and from there, the Marques de Olinda, Rio Branco and Barbosa Lima avenues, opened at the beginning of the XNUMXth century, according to the Parisian model of urbanism, converge.

The eclectic architecture of the buildings surrounding Marco Zero draws attention: the Instituto Cultural Bandepe, built in 1914 and restored in 2002, stands out, which opens its doors to seasons of artistic exhibitions; the Recife Commercial Association, from 1915; and the Stock Exchange building, erected in 1912.

The center of the square deserves attention: and a compass rose, the work of Cicero Dias from Recife (1907-2003), one of the greatest painters of Brazilian surrealism.

5. PARK OF SCULPTURES

Built on the reef in front of Marco Zero, it is a permanent exhibition composed of sculptures by the Pernambuco painter and sculptor Francisco Brennand.

The Crystal Column (32 meters high) stands out in the scenery.

Small rowing boats make the crossing during the day, starting from Ground Zero. Another way to reach the place is by car, from the Brasília Teimosa district.

Next to Parque das Esculturas, the Casa de Banho bar offers a picturesque view of the Recife neighbourhood, even better if accompanied by a cold beer with sururu broth.

The name of the bar is a reference to a club where, at the beginning of the last century, Recife society gathered to take a bath in the natural pool formed between the reefs (Reefs of the Port of Recife, km 1, Brasília Teimosa).

6. BOM JESUS ​​STREET

During the Dutch occupation of Recife (1630-54), it was called Rua dos Judeus, and it was where the commerce of the period was concentrated.

The end of the Dutch invasion also marked the end of religious tolerance. The street, which has been renamed, preserves colorful, terraced houses protected by platbands, in a predominantly eclectic style.

The old houses gave way to restaurants and bars with tables on the sidewalk, such as Empório Bom Jesus, which combines small foods such as tapioca and bolo-de-rollo with the sale of Brazilian handicrafts (nº 183-A) and Galerias (nº 35) , where the traditional malted milk is served.

There are also handicraft stores, such as Ranulpho Galeria de Arte (No. 125, ground floor), whose collection comprises works signed by Volpi, Siron Franco and Lula Cardoso Ayres.

The gallery showed the ruins of the stone wall erected by the dutch to protect the city, found during an excavation for renovations at the site.

On Sunday afternoons, Rua do Bom Jesus hosts a nice little market, with 142 stalls offering everything from clothes to decorative objects, as well as cookies and cakes.

6. KAHAL ZUR ISRAEL SYNAGOGUE

Its facilities today comprise the Jewish Center of Pernambuco, in the Recife neighborhood, in the historic center of the city.

The first synagogue in the Americas was rediscovered after painstaking work in archeology. Closed in 1654, restored and reopened in 2002, the Kahal Zur Israel synagogue – “Rock of Israel” – keeps the memory of the presence of Jews in Pernambuco during the Dutch occupation.

A visit to the site reveals its ancient walls and floor, as well as the mikve, a kind of pool for Jewish purification rituals. Rua do Bom Jesus, 197 and 203, Recife Antigo.

7. MALAKOFF TOWER CULTURAL OBSERVATORY

Located in one of the most privileged points of the city, in the heart of Recife, the Malakoff Tower, former Astronomical Observatory and Monumental Gate of Arsenal da Marinha, works today as a cultural space with a double vocation: on one side are the visual arts (photography , graphic arts and digital arts) and on the other, music.

The Tower, which was launched as a cultural center and exhibition space in 2000, housing the 44O Pernambuco Hall of Plastic Arts, is now also home to the Music Coordination of the Pernambuco Historical and Artistic Heritage Foundation (Fundarpe) and the Observa e Toca project Malakoff.

The building, inaugurated in 1855, was named Malakoff by the people of Recife in reference to the tower of the same name located in the city of Sevastopol (located in southern Russia, present-day Ukraine), which that year, during the Crimean War, resisted for eleven long months of French and English onslaughts.

The imposing architectural lines of the Monumental Navy Gate were associated with the Malakoff name as they refer to the idea of ​​grandeur.

8. APOLO THEATER

The Apolo Theater had its construction started in 1839 by the Theatral Harmonic Society'. Inaugurated in 1842, it operated for 18 years, being deactivated and its facilities being used as a sugar warehouse.

A highlight of nineteenth-century architecture, the Apolo Theatre, designed by Joaquim Lopes de Barros Cabral Teive (1816-92), has limestone stonework carved in Portugal, triangular lintels and curved balconies on the façade.

Opened in 1846, it did not withstand the competition and closed shortly after the inauguration of Teatro Santa Isabel, in 1850.

With its façade still preserved, it was restored and reopened in 1981, receiving a new restoration in 1986, when it received the company of Teatro Hermilo Borba Filho, becoming the Center for Training and Research of the Apolo-Hermilo Scenic Arts. In 1988, the Center was also joined by the Hosman Lins Documentation Center.

For more than a century it served as a deposit. Restored, today it houses one of the most cozy cinemas and theaters in Recife. Rua Cais do Apolo, 121, Recife Antigo.

9. JEWISH PRESENCE IN DUTCH BRAZIL

The arrival of the Dutch in Recife in 1630 was welcomed by Portuguese Jews (Sephardim) and by some from what is now Poland and Germany (Ashkenazi) who had moved to the New World in order to escape the Inquisition's courts .

The count Maurice of Nassau, Dutch and Calvinist governor of Brazil, instituted broad religious tolerance in the Colony, in line with what was advocated by the West India Company, a company that brought together merchants from the Netherlands and financed the arrival of the Flemings to the Northeast.

In Recife, the Jews worked with commerce, which was concentrated on Rua dos Judeus, now known as Bom Jesus, where the Zur Israel synagogue was built, probably in 1636.

In 1641, Zur Israel received the Portuguese rabbi Isaac Aboab da Fonseca, who presided over the synagogue services. It was Aboab who, in Recife, wrote the first text of Hebrew literature in American lands.

It is the poem “Mi Kamókha” (“Who like you?”), which narrates the action of the Pernambuco Insurrection (movement to reconquer Brazilian lands by the Portuguese) and the situation of misery faced by the Jewish community when the Portuguese began to expel the Dutch.

With the expulsion of troops from Brazilian lands in 1654, about four hundred Jews returned to the Netherlands. A group of 23 of them, however, went to New Amsterdam, in the United States.

There, they formed the first Jewish community in the city, which later, captured by the British, would come to be called New York. Rabbi Isaac Aboab da Fonseca went to Amsterdam, in HoIanda, where he built a Portuguese synagogue, inaugurated in 1675.

10. CARNIVAL IN RECIFE

O Carnival Recife is one of the most democratic and diverse in the country. The party starts a week earlier, when blocks of frevo and maracatus rehearse at open dances, in clubs or even on the streets.

The Bloco da Saudade, which since 1974 has revived old traditions with a female choir and a stick and string orchestra, promotes one of the liveliest and most moving dances in clubs.

At the city's Ground Zero, Percussionist Naná Vasconcelos rehearses, throughout the pre-Carnival week, the opening ceremony of Carnival, which takes place on Friday night. More than four hundred drummers from the eleven maracatu nations of Recife stand side by side, under the regency of Naná, in one of the most beautiful musical events in the city.

On Saturday morning it's Galo da Madrugada's turn: the streets of the neighborhoods of Santo Antonio, São José and Boa Vista are taken over by more than 2 million people, in the largest (and probably tightest) street block in the world.

From Saturday afternoon onwards, Recife is divided into poles of revelry. On the Patio de São Pedro there are presentations of coco de roda, afoxe, ciranda and frevo.

Cais da Alfandega becomes the stage for the Rec Beat, a festival in which the main names in rock and Brazilian electronic music participate, with emphasis on the musicians who gave rise to the mangue beat, a movement represented by Chico Science (1966-97 ) and Naҫão Zumbi and Mundo Livre S/A.

Guararapés Avenue is the stage for the samba school parades, while in Patio do Terҫo, on Monday night, there is the Night of Silent Drums.

From Arsenal square, in the Recife neighborhood, maracatus, caboclinhos and blocks come out rocked by the powerful and contagious sound of frevo orchestras. The Carnival schedule is advertised in advance in the city's tourist information centers and by the local media.

11. MOTHER OF GOD CHURCH

Madre de Deus Church is a Roman Catholic religious temple in the city of Recife, Pernambuco.

The construction of the temple was only completed in 1720, with its façade featuring stone sculptures from the reefs and a statue of San Felipe de Néri, in natural size, but with its original outline and from 1679.

National historic monument, it comprises a nave and six side chapels..

The Baroque carving from the beginning of the 1970th century that adorns the chancel, destroyed by fire in XNUMX, was recovered by the lphan. In the sacristy, the marble lavatory of Estremoz is one of the most beautiful in Brazil.

Rua da Alfandega (Rua da Madre de Deus), s/n, Recife Antigo.

12. PAÇO ALFÂNDEGA SHOPPING

Originally built on the banks of the Capibaribe river to house the members of the Congregação dos Oratories, it is considered a national historic heritage site.

It started to serve the Customs of Pernambuco in 1826. After careful restoration and adaptation work, the space was opened as a shopping center at the end of 2003, with a food court, restaurants and a nightclub.

Among its 46 stores are brands such as Fause Haten and Herchcovitch, in addition to the Ana Paes store, with clothes in which she uses handicrafts such as lace and gossip. On the ground floor, the highlight is the Livraria Cultura and, on the third floor, the Espaço Cultural Banco do Brasil, with frequent film screenings. Rua da Moeda, 35, Recife Antigo.

14. SANTO ANTÔNIO, SAO JOSÉ AND BOA VISTA

Appearing in the mid-XNUMXth century, the neighborhoods of Santo Antônio, São José and Boa Vista keep architectural ensembles of great importance – those that gave rise to Praça da República and Pátio de São Pedro, for example.

Also located here are most of Recife's historic churches, such as the church of Divino Espírito Santo, built in 1641 and renovated in 1870.

These are neighborhoods to be unveiled on long walks, discovering the Capibaribe river landscapes from its bridges and entering narrow streets full of people attracted by the trade of all sorts of things.

The center of this trade is the São José Market, next to the Basilica of Nossa Senhora da Penha (1880-1920), which, with its mixture of smells and colors, reflects the vivacity and joy of the people of Recife.

15. PRAÇA DA REPÚBLICA

The square occupies the place where, in the past, Count Maurício de Nassau's garden flourished. Recife's first planned green area, with 23 thousand square meters.

Around it stand the Campo das Princesas Palace (1840), a neoclassical building that houses the state government, the Santa Isabel Theater (1850), the Justice Palace (1928) in an eclectic style, and the Liceu de Artes e Officials (1880), of architecture inspired by French classicism.

His garden was originally designed in 1875 by the French naturalist Emile Bérenger and remodeled in 1936 by Roberto Burle Marx. In the square there is also an immense and iodine baobab (Adansonia digitata), an African species that is not known how or when it was planted.

16. TEATRO SANTA ISABEL

In the imposing theater with a classic pink facade built in 1850, designed by French engineer Louis Léger Vauthier, the three large entrance arches stand out.

Now declared a National Historic Monument, it was destroyed by fire in 1869, but its façade was restored and, internally, it received the columns and ornate iron sills that made Santa Isabel one of the most beautiful theaters of the imperial period.

In front of the building, a bronze statue signed by the Pernambuco sculptor Abelardo da Hora portrays the architect Vauthier in life size. Praça da República, s/n, Santo Antonio.

17. RUA DA AURORA

The street's name is not casual: ancient marsh lying on the left bank of the Capibaribe river, facing east, it receives the first rays of morning sunlight; on the other side is Rua do Sol, lit up in the twilight.

In the 1842th century, neoclassical buildings appeared, whose colorful facades are mirrored in the waters of the river. The building of the Public Security Department, former residence of the Count of Boa Vista, built in XNUMX with a project by the author of the Santa Isabel Theater is located there.

Another highlight is the Ginásio Pernambucano (1885), the most traditional educational institution in the state. In the 1920s, the first buildings in the city were built on the street, such as the Montreal, the Capibaribe and the Iemanjá.

18. BREAST

The Aloísio Magalhães Modern Art Museum (Mamam) houses temporary national contemporary art exhibitions.

Located in one of the charming two-story houses on Rua da Aurora, its collection includes XNUMX works, including canvases by Alex Flemming, João Câmara and Francisco Brennand.

At the museum entrance, appreciate the tile panel signed by Recife artist Aloísio de Magalhães (1927-82), which gives the museum its name. Rua da Aurora, 265, Boa Vista.

19. CINE SÃO LUIZ

On Rua da Aurora, the oldest movie theater in Recife, opened in 1952, it has 1200 seats, between the audience and the balcony, and continues to open its wide iron and glass doors towards the street, which allows the breeze from the river Capibaribe to enter there.

In the entrance hall of the cinema, a mural by the painter Lula Cardoso Ayres (1910-87), born in Recife, welcomes the visitor who, in the 1960s, could only frequent the place wearing a suit and tie or long dresses .

Next to the canvas, floral-themed stained glass windows illuminate the room at the end of the sections. Rua da Aurora, 175, Boa Vista.

20. HOUSE OF CULTURE

The Casa da Cultura is the great center of popular art in Pernambuco.

The century-old French-style building was formerly a prison.

Today, it has nearly 100 craft and typical food stores. In its corridors and in the courtyard there are also folklore presentations, shows and events that provide visitors with a more comprehensive view of the rich and unique culture of the people of Pernambuco.

The craft center works in the old Recife Detention House, built in 1867 and deactivated in 1973.

Divided into four wings, the building has 156 cells, now converted into stores that sell a little of everything: from ceramics from Alto do Moura, in Caruaru, to embroidery from Passira, to pieces from the city of Tracunhaém and out-of-print books. Rua Cais da Detenҫão, s/n, São José.

21. RECIFE MARKETS

Recife's popular markets synthesize the flavors, smells and colors of Pernambuco. The main one is the Mercado de São José, whose design, by French engineer Victor Lieutier, was inspired by a market in Paris. Its prefabricated iron structure came from France to be assembled in the capital of Pernambuco.

In its 46 pavilions, stalls offer fish, seafood and spices, as well as candles and colored beads, as well as images of the orixás of xangô, as the candomblé practiced in Recife is called. There are also handicrafts from the Zona da Mata, the Agreste and Pernambuco backlands, such as popular toys, straw baskets, hammocks and embroidered towels (Praҫa D. Vital, s/n, São José).

While the traditional São José Market welcomes people from all over, the markets of Casa Amarela (Estr. Do Arraial, 4000, Casa Amarela) and Madalena (R. Real da Torre, s/n, Madalena) are interesting neighborhood shopping centers.

The Casa Amarela market, with iron architecture, was the second built in Recife with this material. Detachable, it was transferred in 1930 from the Caxangá neighborhood to its current location.

The Mercado da Madalena (1925), known in the past as Mercado Bacurau, because its bars opened during the night (the night-time bird), is still the corner where the city's bohemian night ends, often stretching. the tour until the morning – when the bars serve hot cassava with stewed chicken or roasted cheese.

22. OUR LADY OF CONCEIÇÃO DOS MILITARES CHURCH

The simple façade, with just a bell tower, goes almost unnoticed amidst the lights of one of the busiest streets in Recife's commerce.

The church's wealth is hidden inside: the main altar, with the image of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, the altarpiece and the central arch are decorated with exuberant white and golden rococo carvings.

On the ceiling, between scrolls and flowers, there are paintings of the Virgin Mary, in one of which she is portrayed pregnant and surrounded by angels.

On the choir's ceiling, a large panel depicts the first battle of the Guararapes. Listed as a national historical heritage, the church Nossa Senhora da Conceição dos Militares was built during the 309th century by the Irmandade dos Sargentos e Soldados do Terço of the Infantry of the Garrison of Recife. Rua Nova, XNUMX, Santo Antonio.

23. BASILICA AND CONVENT OF OUR LADY OF CARMO

The XNUMXth century architectural complex comprising the basilica and convent of Nossa Senhora do Carmo and the church of Santa Teresa da Ordem Terceira do Carmo was built on the site of the Boa Vista Palace, the residence of Maurício de Nassau.

In the basilica, the main chapel's ceiling, completed in 1767, painted in shades of blue and gold, and the altar, in which the same colors were applied on rococo carvings, stand out.

The high ceilings make room for balconies with ornate balustrades that surround the entire nave; the balconies, in turn, are decorated with paintings with richly worked frames.

On the gilded coffered ceiling of the church of Santa Teresa da Ordem Terceira do Carmo, given to worship in 1710 (although its rococo pediment dates back to 1803), there are forty panels depicting the life of Santa Teresa. Av. Dantas Barreto, s/n, Santo Antonio.

24. MATRIZ DE SANTO ANTONIO CHURCH (SANTÍSMOST SACRAMENTO)

Built between 1753 and 1790, the parish church of Santo Antônio keeps its doors open during the day. Passersby from the bustling Independence Square enter it to rest or simply to pray to Santo Antônio, one of the most popular in the country.

The church combines Baroque elements with others introduced in later renovations, such as the ceiling paintings, carried out in the XNUMXth century by Sebastião da Silva Tavares. Praça da Independencia, s/n, Santo Antonio.

25. GOLDEN CHAPEL

A Golden Chapel if the centrist, he is surprised by his wealth. The altar, walls and ceiling are carved and covered with gold leaves, in the ultimate expression of baroque in Recife. Built between 1696 and 1724, by the Third Order of São Francisco de Assis, it belongs to the architectural ensemble of the Franciscan Convent, a national historical heritage that includes the church of Santo Antônio and the former hospital of the Franciscan third.

The Franciscan Museum of Sacred Art works next to the church, with pieces from the XNUMXth century. Rua do Imperador D. Pedro II, s/n, Santo Antonio.

26. PATIO DE SÃO PEDRO

Lined little houses, with colored facades with parapets, form a kind of square square covered with irregular stones – the Patio São Pedro is one of the only ones that preserve this layout, common in colonial Brazil.

Declared a national historic monument by IPHAN, the architectural ensemble belonged to the Irmandade dos Clérigos, which in 1728 financed the construction of the imposing São Pedro dos Clérigos Concathedral, highlighted in the square due to its magnificent façade in carved stonework.

Today, the old houses of one or two floors are occupied by bars and restaurants. Buraquinho serves typical Northeastern dishes (nº 28) and the Casa do Carnaval becomes a space dedicated to the study of regional folkloric manifestations (nº 52).

On Tuesday nights, Pátio de São Pedro becomes the stage for Black Tuesday, an event with musical performances related to Afro-Brazilian culture.

27. CHURCH OF THE ROSARY OF BLACKS

Built between 1739 and 1777 for slaves, it has a predominantly Rococo style.

The facade is decorated with stone carving of exceptional quality; inside, the beautiful image of the patron saint stands out, probably from the XNUMXth century.

From this church, now listed by IPHAN, came the procession of the King of Congo, a ritual brought from Africa by slaves who came to work in the sugar plantation in Pernambuco and which marks the origin of the maracatus in Recife. Rua Estreita do Rosário, s/n, Santo Antonio.

NIGHT OF THE SILENT DRUMS

The church of Nossa Senhora do Terço, in Pátio do Terço, was built in the mid-XNUMXth century and often remodeled.

The current façade, in rococo style and with a single tower, dates from 1847. Since 1968, on the Monday night of Carnival, the square in front of the church has been taken over by a crowd that honors blacks killed during slavery with a parade of maracatus.

At midnight, in one of the magic moments of the Recife Carnival, the drumming stops and the lights are turned off. Everyone is silent for a minute, as a reminder of the prohibition on the expression of beliefs and cultures of African origin in the colonial period.

The maracatu-nação, as the city maracatu is called (unlike the rural maracatu, which originated in the Zona da Mata), emerged around 1650 and represents the coronation of African kings.

The format of the procession, however, is European, in an example of cultural syncretism. African slaves came from regions such as Costa da Mina, Angola, among others, but above all from Congo; for this reason, the maracatu is known as the coronation procession of the king of the Congo.

28. SURROUNDINGS OF RECIFE

The neighborhoods around Recife that are farther from the center and coast of Recife are traditionally called surroundings, even though they are integrated into the capital.

The surroundings of Recife come from hamlets that emerged along the Capibaribe river, old plantation lands that still preserve the bucolic atmosphere, with tree-lined streets and peculiar houses, as seen in Poço na Panela and Apipucos.

Upon entering the surroundings, the visitor will find some of the most significant museums in Recife, such as the Homem do Nordeste, and the Francisco Brennand workshop, located in the beautiful setting of the old São João plantation, in the Várzea district.

28.1 PASÁRGADA SPACE

House where writer Manuel Bandeira (1886-1968), born in Recife, spent his childhood. The name is a reference to his most famous poem (I'm leaving for Pasárgada / There I am a friend of the king / There I have the woman I want / In the bed I will choose).

On site, there is an exhibition of the poet's personal effects and a bookstore. Rua da União, 263, Boa Vista.

28.2 STATE MUSEUM

It works in a XNUMXth-century palace that belonged to the Baron de Beberibe's family and is currently undergoing restoration.

A significant part of its collection was transferred to the Espaço Cícero Dias annex, inaugurated in 2003, which exhibits furniture from the 960th and XNUMXth centuries, Chinese and English porcelain, paintings by Telles Júnior and other Pernambuco, as well as objects from Candomblé rituals. Rua Rui Barbosa, XNUMX, Graҫas.

28.3 PAN WELL

Along uneven cobblestone streets, an important 1772th-century house stands out, built on land from the former Casa Forte plantation, on the banks of the Capibaribe river. The simple façade of the church of Nossa Senhora da Saúde (Rua Real do Poҫo, s/n), from XNUMX, stands out among imperial palm trees.

Opposite the church square is the Mercearia do Vital, with a wooden counter and tables on the sidewalk, where you can have a cold beer accompanied by a freshly sliced ​​cheese sandwich, perfect for the calmness of the place.

28.4 PARQUE DA JACKET

An old site on the edge of the Capibaribe River has become one of the most exciting public spaces in the city.

Among jackfruit trees, olive trees and jambeiros, a 1-kilometer jogging track surrounds the park, which also has a bicycle, skating and bicycle track, as well as children's toys.

In the second half of the XNUMXth century, a chapel was built there under the invocation of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, known as the Jaqueira chapel.

Listed as a National Historic Landmark, in 1970 it received a garden designed by Roberto Burle Marx. Inside, where tile panels depict the story of São José do Egypt, the altarpiece and pulpit have gilded woodwork in the Rococo style. A. Rui Barbosa, s/n, Jaqueira.

29. ART GALLERIES

Two galleries in Recife offer visitors a good synthesis of contemporary Pernambuco production. One of them is Galeria Amparo 60, which represents some of the most renowned artists in Recife and Olinda, such as Christina Machado, Rinaldo, José Patrício and Domingos Paulo Meira (av. Domingos Ferreira, 92, Pina).

At Galeria Mariana Moura there are works by other names, such as Marcelo Silveira, Gil Vicente, Alexandre Nóbrega and Janine Toledo. Av. Rui Barbosa, 735, Graҫas.

30. FRANCISCO BRENNAND WORKSHOP

A former colonial mill, later transformed into Brennand family pottery, the workshop, since 1971 the Recife artist's workplace, has a magical atmosphere.

The setting is made up of sometimes monumental sculptures, arranged along alleys, gardens and lakes, where black swans glide. A square designed by Burle Marx separates the workshop from the Academy, a space dedicated to the permanent exhibition of paintings and drawings by Brennand.

The visit can take an entire afternoon, as there is much to see, read, hear and contemplate. A pleasant cafe, with a small shop, where you can have quick meals, completes the tour. Property Cosme e Damião, s/n, access from Av. Caxangá, Várzea.

31. SCIENCE AND ART IN DUTCH BRAZIL

When Maurício de Nassau disembarked in Recife in 1637, he was accompanied by a delegation of 46 scholars, which included, among other names, the physician and naturalist Willem Piso and the astronomer and naturalist Georg Marcgrave, who would later become authors of the first compendiums on the fauna and flora of the new continent.

The painters Frans Post (1612-80) and Albert Eckhout (1610-65) also accompanied Nassau, who meticulously recorded the landscapes, fauna and inhabitants – especially the Indians and blacks – of the lands of Pernambuco.

The work carried out by Nassau's entourage resulted in an unprecedented historical and scientific heritage for the time. Albert Eckhout left behind a set of eight large paintings with Brazilian ethnic types, as well as a collection of smaller oil-on-wood paintings, watercolors, and plant drawings.

Frans Post, the first author of landscapes in American territory, painted at least eighteen oil paintings in which he portrayed the Pernambuco landscape.

One of them, the one that shows Fort Frederick: Henrich, currently Forte das Cinco Pontas, is located at Instituto Ricardo Brennand.

32. RICARDO BRENNAND INSTITUTE

Created by collector Ricardo Brennand, Francisco's cousin, the formidable institute opened in 2002 is made up of three elements – Castle, Pinacoteca and Biblioteca – occupying two buildings built in the Gothic style.

The exceptional collection houses a precious collection of paintings, maps, manuscripts, books and coins produced during the 24 years of Dutch occupation in Recife and the Northeast.

The seventeen paintings signed by Frans Post stand out, especially the one depicting Fort Frederick Hendrik, today Fort Cinco Pontas, from 1630. The collection of arms and armor, especially from the Middle Ages, is another high point.

The institute's cafeteria has Rosa Didier's famous bolos-de-rollo and tapiocas, and is opposite a beautiful sculpture garden. Al. Antonio Brennand, s/n, Várzea.

33. MUSEUM OF THE NORTHEAST MAN

The space, opened in 1979, offers an excellent opportunity to understand the history of the formation of northeastern culture.

Belonging to the Joaquim Nabuco Foundation, the Museu do Homem do Nordeste is divided into three sectors: “Sugar”, in which historical and technological aspects of sugarcane culture are discussed; “Oh de casa!”, which contains constructive, decorative and utilitarian elements, such as tiles, bricks, stonework, tiles and objects related to northeastern living; and “Anthropology”, with objects referring to folkloric, religious and artistic manifestations. Av. 17 de Agosto, 2187, Casa Forte.

34. FUNDAÇÃO GILBERTO FREYRE

Anthropologist Gilberto Freyre has published 89 books, in which he sought to explain – in a controversial and always brilliant way – the society of Brazil and the Northeast.

The author of the classic Casa-grande e senzala, first published in 1933, and now in its 50th edition, lived and wrote in this house, which he called Vivenda Santo Antônio de Apipucos.

The library, which occupies several rooms, and the interesting Portuguese tile panels are noteworthy. Rua Dois Irmãos, 320, Apipucos.

Recife in Pernambuco Travel Tourism Guide