A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
357: Lamp post
When you visit the City of Rio de Janeiro, it is recommended to visit the Imperial City of Petrópolis, about 70 km away, in the Fluminense mountainous region. In the seventeenth century, the location gained some importance because it was located along the Estrada Real: the road that was used for transportation of the earth’s riches from the mines in Minas Gerais (Diamantina, Ouro Preto) to the ports of Rio de Janeiro and Paraty. Brazil’s first emperor, Pedro I, liked they moderate climate and decided to start the construction of his summer palace. However, he stepped down before it could be finished. His son, Pedro II (after whom Petrópolis is named), issued a decree to establish a settlement (of German migrants) and a summer palace. In fact, Petrópolis became Brazil’s capital. The lamp post in the picture is not from the imperial era, but is now part of atmospheric illumination in the historic center.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2012, 2017
