The government of Rio de Janeiro expects to complete the works on the Lage Park Palace, in the southern area of the city, by July 2026. The restoration, at an estimated cost of R$21.4 million, aims to restore part of the original structure and colors of the palace.
At its peak, in the 1930s, the place was known for hosting banquets and other events for Rio’s elite. The hosts were Italian opera singer Gabriella Pisanzoni and her husband, industrialist Henrique Lage.
“Luxury there does not humiliate, on the contrary, it comforts,” journalist Magdala de Sousa Pinto wrote in a 1937 edition of Jornal do Brasil.
The eclectic style mansion was a family heirloom. Commander Antonio Martinez Lage bought the land in the 19th century. Previously, the place was a farm owned by the Portuguese military man Rodrigo de Freitas, on the banks of the lake that would later bear his name.
There were exclusive dinners for artists, journalists and names from the Italian colony in the then federal capital. The palace appeared in social columns with social club importance, such as the Tijuca Tênis Clube and the Club de Regatas do Flamengo, in Gávea.
It was also there that Pisanzoni, the mezzo-soprano, one of the most famous opera singers of her time, began teaching opera singing to young people.
Ongoing restoration work seeks to restore some of the grandeur of the ancient space. The administration of Claudio Castro (PL) says this is the largest intervention ever carried out in the palace in 100 years.
“This restoration work is a bit complicated because we have to leave everything as similar as possible to what it was originally,” says Infrastructure and Works Minister Auron Andrade.
Lage Park is a 52-hectare green area (equivalent to 72 football fields) located on Rua Jardim Botânico, in southern Rio. It is a palace surrounded by a huge garden filled with animals and plants from the Atlantic Forest.
Its funds go to Tijuca National Park. The front is close to the lake. Within the park, the most visited points depict a country and a time: a palace built by the rich in the 19th century, a laundromat used by local slaves and, since 1975, a traditional visual arts school.
The palace, listed by Ivan (National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute) in 1957, has been carefully restored. Teams use scalpels, spatulas and gel solvents.
“In the library, we found an original decorative painting, which is what we are trying to save. There are several layers of paint and putty on this painting. Therefore, we are completely removing these materials so that we can identify the state of conservation of the materials,” says restorer Alice Torres, responsible for the interior repairs.
The work also includes cleaning the exterior of the palace using brushes on stones and concrete. Teeth are brushed with water and neutral or dry soap.
The School of Visual Arts has been operating within the property since 1975, offering paid courses in art, technology, engravings and art history. Classes have been moved to the Cavallaricas building inside the park due to works.
The school was headed by important names in the country’s visual arts such as Rubens Gershman, Louise Aquila and Reynaldo Rolls. The institute faced pressure on the ground. In 1988, there was a threat of eviction by the IDBF (Brazilian Institute for Forest Development). The following year, Obama began eviction proceedings.
Only in 1994 was there a solution to transfer Lage Park to the federation and keep the palace under the responsibility of the state government.
According to the Castro administration, Laje Park receives about 1.3 million visitors annually and is among the ten most visited tourist attractions in Rio. Entrance is free and remains open except for minors.