Things to Do in Petropolis

It says something about a town’s character when its foremost attraction is a giant brewery. Indeed, it styles itself as Brazil’s largest brewery. Its guided tours are immensely popular. They take you through the thousands of years of the history of beer, by the way of fun of interactive exhibits of light, sound and 3D videos – the tour is chock full in interesting trivia. And after the history, there’s the tour of the brewery itself, taking you through all the different stages of making beer. Obviously, as with all great brewery tours, there is a beer tasting session at the end. You can finish up your visit either at the bar or at the restaurant.

The king Dom Pedro II used to live in this magnificent palace. The beautiful neo-classical building was completed in 1862, and is today one of the most visited monuments in Brazil. The building shares its spotlight with the palace gardens, which are a formal arrangement with plants from 15 different regions around the world – Australian palm, French grass, Madagascar bananas, and African pandalos.

At the museum you’ll find remnants of the Brazilian monarchs, paintings, jewels, rich furniture, musical instruments, and scientific instruments and books. These are a laid out as they used to be in the Dining Room, the State Room, the Embroidery Room, and the Music Room. The library is rich too, with 250,000 documents, some of which date back to the 13th century.

Check attraction website for details of the A Sarau imperial role-playing show. It’s quite fun!

Opened in 1884, this lovely greenhouse was commissioned by the Count d'Eu and by the Princess Isabelle to exhibit the regions flowers, other plants and birds. In 1888, the Princess held a historic party where she symbolically freed a few slaves, only some time before she signed a law that formally abolished slavery in Brazil. The palace is loved for its pretty and elegant glass and steel body, its great chandeliers, its two fountains on either side, and its collection of the town’s miniature monuments. It doesn’t function as a greenhouse anymore. Special exhibitions and organised events are held there now. Check the attraction website for details about upcoming events. Temper your expectations though, for there’s not much else to see there.

The palace used to be the home of the German rubber baron Waldemar Scholz, and was later the summer residence of the Presidents of Brazil. In 1997, it was remade into convention and cultural centre. Special art exhibitions, musical performances, and photography galleries are frequently hosted here. When you visit, notice the antique furniture and the period décor – they are reflective of Brazil’s rubber age. You’re allowed to visit the palace itself for free, but may have to pay admission in case of special events and exhibitions.

This French Alpine style summer residence of Alberto Santos Dumont, famous Brazilian inventor, balloonist and aviator, was built in 1918. He and others called the house ‘Enchanted’, after the name of the hill on which it stood. Inside, the house’s layout is highly efficient. The ground floor was a workshop and a scientific laboratory; the second floor has a mezzanine, a bedroom and bathroom; and a rooftop gazebo that served as an astronomy observatory. It was also the first house in Brazil to have running hot water for bathing. Beautifully eccentric, this is the kind of house most romantics dream of owning.

The church’s architecture would be enough of a reason to visit, for it’s beautiful, a soaring French neo-Gothic structure that took nearly 88 years to construct. However, it is also the royal Mausoleum, where the Emperor Dom Pedro II; Empress Teresa Cristina; Princess Imperial Isabel and her husband Prince Gaston the Count of Eu are buried. The highlights of the church are:

• The Royal and noble tombs
• The 70 metre high tower with its carrilon of 5 bronze bells
• A main altar of limestone
• The Carrara marble statue of St. Peter of Alcantara
• The beautiful stained glass windows with poems by the King impressed on them
• The 2400 kg main doors

For about 2 years in the mid-20th century, the French Norman palace was a thriving hotel-casino. After gambling was banned though, the hotel eventually shut down. Now the 440 rooms are either leased out or sold, to be used as private living quarters. That doesn’t mean the palace has lost its tourist appeal. Aside from its magnificent façade, the palace grounds and gardens are an attraction in their own right, and still draw many visitors. You can also visit the public spaces inside, where the decoration is a mix of Brazilian Baroque and Art Deco.

It’s mostly used now as a space for events and congresses; it’s lavish theatre can hold about 2200 people.

Trivia: Some of the Palace’s most famous guests have been Orson Welles, Carmem Miranda, Greta Garbo and Evita Perón.

Madame Tussauds this is not, but the city’s wax museum holds its own with greats with hyper-realistic models of Brazilian and international celebrities. The range of characters covers historical, scientists, political and pop-culture, including Batman, Nelson Mandela and Superman. Some of the characters have scenarios designed around their figures, which reflect their contextual conditions. It’s not a very large collection, and that tends to put off some people, especially because of the unusually high price.

A famous photograph was clicked on the porch of this 1853 neo-classical house in the last days of the Brazilian monarchy; it was one of the last photos of the royal family on Brazilian soil. It is now a place of diplomatic affairs, which also means that the house is not open to the public. You’re welcome to check it out from the outside though, and hang out in the gardens. You can at the very least click some pictures before moving on to other attractions. There is an antique shop behind the house, a good place to pick up souvenirs.

This 1922 castle isn’t just European medieval Renaissance style in appearance, but also in material. Stone from Portugal, slate from France, Italian Carrara marble, English rosewood and Austrian stained glass all went into its building. The result is the most charming wedding venue imaginable in Petropolis. Celebrities frequently rent it out to party too. And at other times, it’s a favourite tourist attraction. When you visit, you’ll be taken through the Hall, the Fireplace Room, and the Library. And if you’re actually inclined to host an event here yourself, the Castle staff will bend over backwards to accommodate your every wish.

Heard of Heitor da Silva Costa? He was the man behind Rio de Janiero’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue, and he is the man behind this 3.5 metre high monument too. The image shows Our Lady of Fatima and the angel Gabriel under a dome of seven pillars. The monument is rich in numerical symbols:

• Three steps for the Rosary
• Five colonnades for Christ’s five wounds
• Seven pillars for seven gifts of the Holy Spirit

There is a small chapel at the foot of the monument, where masses take place on the 13th of each month.

The location of the monument is remarkable too – a hill which is the first spot in the city to hit by the sun at dawn. The views of the city and the surrounding mountains from here are stunning.

German immigrants founded this Lutheran church back in 1863, making this the oldest church in the city. Despite its origins, it has historically been a popular place with Catholics too. It is a light and airy looking building, built in European Gothic style. It’s exterior charm contrasts with it interior severity; there is not much decoration. This is because of the law that existed during its time, which didn’t allow non-Catholic churches. Most tourists visit not to go inside, but to photograph the exterior. Furthermore, entry to the church tends to be restricted to Sundays. Highlights of the church are the tower and the German organ with 160 pipes.

This simple looking house, with walls dabbed with mud to shore up cracks, is a precious heritage from a time when German immigrants were trying to make a home for themselves. It belonged to the Sutter Family, who built it in 1847, and is still furnished with the furniture and decorations they brought into it. The main highlights of the house are the kitchen and the garage. Of special interest are the paraphernalia in the kitchen such as the old-wood stove, the bread molds and sauerkraut maker. The house is not often visited, which means its guides are usually highly enthusiastic to show you about.

The reason why this palace is a tourist attraction is simple enough – it’s unbelievably beautiful. Built in the mid nineteenth century, it is now Petropolis’ city hall. It’s highlights are:

• The Rococo Hermogênio Silva hall. This hall is most appreciated for its woodwork sculpturing, and the ceiling paintings
• The skylight
• The Eagle’s Fountain in front of the garden.
• The two domes atop the terrace

The park’s large 47,000 square metres area contains playgrounds, jogging tracks, sports facilities, a lake with paddle boats and even an old cheese factory. Yet none of these are the park’s true attraction. No, that’s the tranquillity. Despite being immensely popular with local families, and being visited by hundreds of people every day, it is still one of the city’s most peaceful retreats. Don’t mind the couples canoodling about. If you’re hungry, there’s a bar and snack area. There’s also a picnic area if you’ve brought your own eats. There are restrooms as well.