Ivan agrees to include the former Dops building in Rio, a landmark of repression and the struggle for democracy

On Wednesday, the Advisory Board of the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (IFAN) approved the final listing for the DOBS Building (short for the former Department of Political and Social System), in downtown Rio de Janeiro. The decision, taken during the collective’s 111th meeting, recognizes the property as a symbol of social and political struggles for democracy and as an important example of eclectic architecture in the country.

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With this procedure, the building will be registered in the books of history and fine arts. The provisional list has already been published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on October 30. According to the head of the Ivan organization, Leandro Grass, the law preserves the memory of the violations committed during the military dictatorship and honors the victims of repression.

– This law honors those who have been tortured, persecuted, killed or disappeared because of their struggle for freedom. By turning it into a heritage site, we are helping to ensure that the mistakes of that period are not repeated for current and future generations.

Side of the former Dops building, on Rua da Recção, Centro do Rio – Photography: Gabriel de Paiva - 01/31/2025 — Side of the former Dops building, on Rua da Recção, Centro do Rio – Photography: Gabriel de Paiva – 01/31/2025

Designed by Heitor de Mello and opened in 1910, the building emerged in the context of urban reforms carried out by Mayor Pereira Passos and was initially called the Police Palace. Throughout the 20th century, it housed several security agencies, including the Dops, which during the era of the Estado Novo and military dictatorship became a center for arrests, interrogations and torture.

In addition to its historical value, the building is distinguished by its architecture: three floors, an internal courtyard, symmetrical facades, stained glass windows, balustrades, decorations and a dome on the corner, references to the Belle Epoque and the modernization of Rio. The place also stored our sacred collection, made up of objects from African religions confiscated by police actions between 1890 and 1946.

For reporting consultant José Ricardo Urrea Fernández, the list represents a milestone in preserving painful Brazilian memory.

– Based on the recognition of the first place of traumatic memory in the country that has been listed at the federal level, we are implementing an action that, without a doubt, will be recorded in the annals of the history of Brazilian cultural heritage preservation – said the advisor.

Patricia Fanzeller, superintendent of the Ivan Building in Rio, emphasized that the official recognition enhances the historical importance of the building:

– Abolishing the old DOPS system means officially recognizing its importance in Brazilian history – said Fanzeller.

The property is now expected to receive a memory centre, expanding its role as a space for reflection on democracy, human rights and justice.