Royal Ironworks of St John, Ipanema

The Royal Ironworks of St John of Ipanema is a complex with two preserved blast furnaces, substantial stone buildings, and tools from 19th century iron production. The structures show different production areas that together illustrate how a major metal manufacturing facility operated.

The facility was founded in 1810 by royal Portuguese decree as Brazil's first large-scale metal production center. It operated for more than a century until 1926, shaping the country's industrial development during that period.

The site reveals how early Brazilian industry looked and operated through preserved machinery and workshop spaces from different eras. Visitors can see how workers carried out their tasks and what techniques were used in iron production.

The site is best explored on a guided tour, which explains the different work areas and their functions. It helps to read about the production process beforehand so you can better understand how the buildings and machinery were arranged.

The facility used water power from nearby waterfalls to drive its machinery, a solution that incorporated natural energy into the production process. This approach was remarkable for its time and shows how the location cleverly used its surroundings.