The city government presents the project and begins construction on the Terra Prometida Park in Santa Cruz.

Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes participated this Saturday (March 14th) in the presentation event for the Terra Prometida Park project and the start of construction in Santa Cruz, in the West Zone. The Rio City Hall initiative will transform the area of ​​the former Leonel Brizola Children's City into a new center for religious and cultural tourism. The project foresees the requalification of a historical space in the region and has the potential to boost urban development, generating employment and income.

– This is a place that will address the Judeo-Christian faith, telling a bit of the story of the first five books of the Bible. It will have space for events, a large temple with seven thousand seats, a baptismal font, Mount Sinai, the Red Sea. In short, it is a place that will be a meeting place and a space of faith for an important part of our city: Catholics, Evangelicals, Jews. Churches play an important social role in the city, and we will always help, encourage and promote events, meetings and tributes – stated Mayor Eduardo Paes.

With approximately 200 square meters, the Terra Prometida Park was designed to receive an average of 10 people per day, and can reach up to 70 visitors during large events. The main hall will have a capacity for 7 people. The complex will also feature an outdoor stage and an esplanade, ensuring adequate infrastructure for large-scale celebrations and events.

"This is a special place, a park that unites different religions such as Judaism, Neo-Pentecostal Christianity, the Catholic Church, but especially represents a tradition of 90% of our country's population. This space will meet a huge demand from the population of Rio de Janeiro, which needs venues for events. We are sure that the park will have a full schedule. We govern for everyone, we look at all faiths, at the different manifestations, and we treat everyone equally," said Deputy Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere.

More than just an event center, the park was conceived as a themed space inspired by passages from Christian tradition. Among the planned environments are the Garden of Eden, the sensory journey of the Ten Commandments, and the Red Sea Path, which will feature a symbolic experience of "walking on water." The project also includes the Mount of Olives, Mount Sinai, and Mount Zion, intended for moments of prayer and contemplation, integrating spirituality, landscaping, and community interaction.

The proposal also prioritizes the reuse of existing structures. The old planetarium will be transformed into the Genesis 360º Cinema, while the theater will undergo a renovation to become a modern Convention Center, expanding the space's potential for cultural and institutional activities.

The concept for the new Terra Prometida Park was developed by the Sub-Secretariat of Urban Planning, and shortly after, the basic project was contracted by the Municipal Urbanization Company (Rio-Urbe) last year, with an investment of R$ 2,7 million.

Park implementation

The implementation of the Terra Prometida Park will be carried out in stages. The first phase includes the demolition of the remaining structures of the old Children's City and the execution of earthmoving services. The package also includes improvements to the surrounding access roads and the urbanization of Estrada do Guandu, in front of the future park.

This initial set of interventions represents an estimated investment of approximately R$ 14 million and is fundamental to preparing the ground and organizing the road infrastructure of the region. The bidding process for this stage is already underway, and the works, under the responsibility of the Municipal Infrastructure Secretariat, are scheduled to begin in the first half of this year.

In the next phase, the project moves forward with the implementation of the complex's central structures. These include the Ecumenical Nave, the Convention Center, the Genesis 360º Cinema, and the themed spaces that make up the park's historical route. Also planned are the construction of an access ramp to Avenida Brasil and a parking lot with capacity for approximately 100 buses.

This phase is expected to require an estimated investment of around R$ 190 million. The goal is to ensure adequate infrastructure to handle the influx of visitors and guarantee accessibility and traffic management in the area.

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March 14th, 2026

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