Crystal Palace (Palácio de Cristal), Petrópolis
Prefabricated iron-and-glass pavilion of 1884 in Petrópolis, used for exhibitions and festivals.
The Crystal Palace of Petrópolis is a prefabricated pavilion of cast iron and glass, ordered by the Count of Eu from the Société Anonyme de Saint-Sauveur in Arras and assembled in the town in the early 1880s. Inaugurated in 1884, it followed the pattern of the glasshouses built in London and Porto and was intended to shelter agricultural and horticultural shows staged by the Petropolitan Horticultural Association. Coloured glazing fills the upper panels, and the frame sits in a small garden with a fountain.
The building has served many purposes since. It was enclosed with brick and sheet metal in 1938 to house the town's historical museum, narrowly escaped demolition in 1960 and was listed by the national heritage institute in 1967; walls close to the originals were restored for its centenary in 1984. Today it stands in the historic centre as an events hall, hosting exhibitions, fairs and the town's festivals, and is open free of charge on days when nothing is booked.
Highlights
- Cast-iron and glass frame prefabricated in France and shipped to Brazil
- Coloured glazing in the upper panels of the pavilion
- Listed by Brazil's national heritage institute in 1967
- Garden setting with fountain in the historic centre of Petrópolis
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