Bar da Portuguesa, in Ramos, is Rio's newest Cultural Heritage Site

The city of Rio de Janeiro has yet another cultural heritage site. It is the Bar da Portuguesa, a traditional bar located in Ramos, in the city's North Zone. This Sunday (12/09), the Rio Heritage Institute (IRPH), an agency of the Municipal Department of Urban Planning (SMPU), placed a blue plaque identifying the city's heritage sites on the facade of the establishment. The celebration was attended by Mayor Eduardo Paes; the deputy mayor of the North Zone, Diego Vaz; the municipal secretary of Culture, Marcus Faustini; and bar owners from the region.

– Bars are places where people from Rio de Janeiro celebrate their lives. And the ways in which people have celebrated today over the years in bars have given us incredible heritage, whether in the form of drinking, singing, eating… This is our culture, our history, which today we are fortunate to have the pleasure of recognizing as a living cultural heritage, thanks to the empowerment of a great suburban woman – comments Diego Vaz.

With this approval, Bar da Portuguesa will become part of the Circuito dos Botequins (Bars and Pubs Circuit) of Rio's heritage. Since 2010, the City of Rio, in a pioneering and unprecedented move at the national level, has included bars and pubs as intangible heritage in the category of traditional and notable economic activity. Bar da Portuguesa is the 27th to appear on this list, which includes traditional bars such as Casa Paladino, Nova Capela, Bar Adonis and Adega Pérola.

Opened in 1968, the bar is known for its traditional codfish fritters. Bar da Portuguesa has a long history. The owner is Portuguese Donzilia Gomes. Dondon, as she is known, is the owner of all the recipes in that kitchen, including the also famous okra and fried sardines.

Pixinguinha (1897-1973) was born and raised nearby and became a regular visitor. At the bar's door, there is even a sculpture of the maestro sitting on a chair where he used to spend hours, signed by the cartoonist Ique.

– Bars and taverns are traditionally recognized as places of democratic coexistence, which reflect the festive spirit of Rio. This circuit aims to promote and inform about this rich collection of cultural assets that exist in the city – says Laura Di Blasi, president of IRPH.

Circuits of Rio's Cultural Heritage

Since 2010, the Rio de Janeiro Cultural Heritage Circuits have been organized around themes that value Rio's cultural heritage. The circuits are no longer focused on architecture, but instead cover free themes related to Rio's culture and identity. The City of Rio selects prominent locations for each theme by placing an information plaque. On each plaque, visitors can learn a little more about the location and its importance to the city's history and the theme in question.

There are 21 circuits with cultural assets spread throughout the city. Among the circuits, we have: Liberdade, Art-Déco, Cinemas, Train, Bars, Waters, Samba, Bossa Nova, Tiradentes Square, African Heritage, Choro, Traditional Businesses and others. Currently, there are about 242 plaques throughout the city.

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• Urban planning

September 13th, 2021

Appointments: Portuguese Bar Rio World Heritage Institute Cultural heritage City Hall of Rio Ramos Municipal Secretariat of Urban Planning