Parque Glória Maria (Parque das Ruínas)

Parque Glória Maria Municipal Cultural Centre At the top of the hill in Santa Teresa, the park is a beautiful viewpoint. From there you get an incredible view of downtown and the whole carioca waterfront. Named Parque das Ruínas, the space was opened by the Rio de Janeiro City Council in 1997. It was designed by the architects Ernani Freire and Sônia Lopes and mixes iron and glass structures with ruined walls. The ruins are what is left of the house of Laurinda Santos Lobo (1878-1946). The mansion was built during the Empire for Minister Joaquim Murtinho Nobre. His niece and heir, Laurinda, refurbished the place in the 1930s as her home, and kept an intense cultural life there. She hosted many parties and salons that brought together the intellectuals and artists of the day. After her death, the mansion was left completely abandoned. Creating the cultural centre allowed the place to become a house for art again. The exhibition room, the Ruth de Souza Theatre, the outdoor area, the magnificent 180º view of the city — all of it among the ruins — make the setting distinctive, comfortable and pleasant. Today it hosts concerts, plays and exhibitions, and it is also one of the most Instagrammable spots in Santa Teresa. In 2023, after the death of the celebrated journalist, the well-known Parque das Ruínas was renamed after Glória Maria.