RIO BRANCO PALACE

It is difficult not to notice this large white building of eclectic style. The "Palacio rio Branco" is a building that dates back to 1549 and was erected by order of Tomé de Souza, the first Governor General of Brazil and founder of the city of Salvador - capital of Brazil from 1549 to 1763 - to house the Governor's Palace, the centre of the Portuguese administration. It was built in a modest manner, but was gradually enlarged and had several functions during its history, including that of a prison and also the residence of Dom Pedro II when the emperor visited Salvador in 1859. Towards the end of the 19th century, the colonial facade, which was outdated at the time, was completely renovated in a much more noble and imposing style, inspired by French neoclassical buildings. On 10 January 1912, the palace was one of the targets of the bombing of Salvador decided by the then president, Hermes da Fonseca. The building was almost entirely destroyed and a vast collection of rare books was lost. It was immediately rebuilt, inaugurated by Governor Antônio Muniz Sodré de Aragão in 1919, and named Rio Branco in honour of José Maria da Silva Paranhos Júnior, Baron of Rio Branco. Subject to the ravages of time, the palace underwent a renovation campaign in 1984, and now houses the Fundação Cultural do Estado da Bahia and the "Memorial dos Governadores", which is open to visitors. The finely crafted furniture and the splendid view of the bay and the lower town are worth a visit