Downtown Rio

Though Downtown Rio (called "Centro") has some nice colonial buildings, churches, and museums, it usually is not a main tourist destination in town. Most of downtown streets become quite empty and deserted after dark, so guidebooks usually discourage people visit there in the evening. However, at the period of Carnivale celebration, there are concerts all over the downtown core. The streets were actually very crowded at nights. People just listen to the free concerts, dance to the Samba music, and drink everywhere in the streets of Centro.

I had made a few trips to downtown in the Carnivale period (from Friday night to early Wednesday morning). People there all seemed to have great time!

However, all the following pictures were taken at daytime. I practically did not see too many people around at daytime (maybe everybody was recovering from partying the night before). Pictures here just show you some cool buildings in downtown, not the party scene...

Please click the thumbnail on the pictures to see enlarged images

Municipal Theatre ("Theatro Municipal"). This theatre just turned 100 years old. It is home to Rio's opera, orchestra, and ballet. I heard there is a Rembrandt painting exhibited inside, but it was not open the time I passed by (Most museums are closed in the Carnivale period)

Headquarter of Petrobras, Brazil's national petroleum company. It looks like a logo creation.

Metropolitan Cathedral ("Catedral Metropolitana"), this quite post-modern cathedral was just 30 years old.

Inside the Cathedral, some murals and 60m high stained-glass windows.

They were preparing for an concert, opening that evening.