Lapa, Rio de Janeiro
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Lapa | |
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Neighborhood | |
 Aerial view of Lapa | |
  Lapa Location in Rio de Janeiro  Lapa Lapa (Brazil) | |
| Coordinates: 22°54′49″S 43°10′54″W / 22.91361°S 43.18167°W | |
| Country |  Brazil |
| State | Rio de Janeiro (RJ) |
| Municipality/City | Rio de Janeiro |
| Zone | Centro |
Lapa is a neighborhood in the city of Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. It is located in the centre of Rio and is famous for its historical monuments and nightlife.
The neighborhood is home to the Arcos da Lapa, an impressive aqueduct constructed in the mid-18th century by colonial authorities. Another important historical attraction is the Passeio Público, the first public park of the city, built in the 1780s.
Since the early 1950s, Lapa has been known for its lively cultural life where there is a concentration of many restaurants and bars where Brazilian artists and intellectuals would meet. It was, and still is, famous for its many restaurants, bars and clubs where the various forms of Brazilian music can be appreciated. The Sala Cecília Meireles, an important venue for chamber music, is also located in Lapa.
Arcos da Lapa[edit]
The neighborhood of Lapa, Rio de Janeiro, known as the cradle of bohemian Rio is also famous for its architecture, starting with the Arcos – known as the Arcos da Lapa, constructed to act as a conduit in the days of colonial Brazil and now serves as a signal for the cable cars that climb the hill of Santa Teresa.
The Carioca Aqueduct is considered an architectural work of great importance in Old Rio and one of the main symbols of the city. The impressive Roman-style building is 17.6 meters high, 270 meters long and has 42 arches that connect the neighborhood of Santa Teresa to Morro de Santo Antônio. The Carioca Aqueduct was built in 1723, during colonial times, and was intended to lead water from the Carioca river through Morro do Desterro, then to Santa Teresa for the Morro de Santo Antônio. The work would help prevent water shortages in the city, a historically persistent problem. Studies to bring the waters of the Carioca River to the city began in the early years of the seventeenth century, but the works of installing water pipes in Rio de Janeiro did not start until a century later.
In recent times, the landscape of Lapa has changed significantly. The Square of the Brazilian armed forces (a square attached to the arches) has been replaced by the huge Circo Voador. Arches Street, which crosses the aqueduct via a building occupied by trees, including the Progress Casting, is now a venue. The neighborhood begins at the south end, where the road of glory becomes Rua da Lapa. Also on the border of Santa Teresa, climbing its slopes, is the small neighborhood of Fátima.
In an attempt to rescue the spirit of the residential district, its inhabitants created the movement "I am from Lapa". They drew inspiration from the famous advertising campaign "I love NY", believing it helped revitalize the American city that suffered decline in the 1970s. The movement sought to rescue neighborhood pride by declaring "I'm from Lapa". With government support and participation of the majority of shops in Lapa, the "I am from Lapa" movement spread around town, but with few effective achievements in the areas of crime reduction and rehabilitation of the homeless.
Lapa enjoys lower population density and less traffic relative to other regions of the city. The headquarters and administrative buildings of many large companies (Petrobras, BNDES, etc..) are located in the neighborhood, along with numerous high quality commercial buildings on Chile Avenue (Ventura I and II, etc..). These features have attracted the attention of residents from the north, south and west of Rio de Janeiro, eager to live closer to work and escape traffic jams. Newly launched residential projects providing comprehensive infrastructure (Viva Lapa, Cores da Lapa, etc..) have been fully sold, demonstrating a high demand for housing in a neighborhood perceived to offer a high standard of living.
Culture[edit]
The neighborhood offers a melting pot of diverse urban tribes, often an attractive quality for those who love to go out and keep the night young. Starting in the 1950s, Lapa has been called "Montmartre Carioca". Intellectuals, artists, politicians and especially the people of Rio have come together to celebrate the samba, forró, MPB (música popular brasileira), choro and more recently, electronic music and rock.
The major thoroughfares, Mem de Sá, Rua do Riachuelo Street and Lavradio, present attractions such as the Sala Cecilia Meireles, considered one of the best concerts of chamber music in Rio.
The Public Promenade, the National School of Music, the Church of Our Lady of Lapa do Desterro and the Escadaria Selarón stand as monuments to tourists who want to sample the architecture of old Rio.
Music[edit]
 | This section needs to be updated. (June 2024) |
Popular nightlife attractions include the famous Asa Branca, the main stronghold of forró; Seed bar, where there have been artists such as Teresa and the group Casuarina; Ernesto; Coffee Cultural Sacrilege beyond the River; and Scenarium Carioca da Gema, where samba wheels reign absolute. The gaff Lapa 40 Graus recently opened on Brook Street next to the traditional Democratic Club, which provides space for dancing, samba, choro and gaff. People who prefer electronic music and rock concerts can enjoy the Progress and Casting Flying Circus, opened in 2004. There are also a plethora of bars and venues that cater to all tastes.
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