Colégio Militar do Rio de Janeiro, Military school in Maracanã District, Brazil
The Colégio Militar do Rio de Janeiro is a military school in the Maracanã district, standing on São Francisco Xavier street with classrooms, sports fields and administrative offices spread across several buildings. The structures date from different periods and form a closed campus with gates, parade areas and tree-lined paths connecting the main sections.
An imperial decree signed by Emperor Pedro II founded the school on May 6, 1889, just months before the fall of the monarchy. A century later, in 1989, the first female students entered the institution, and by 2005 Priscila Alvares graduated as the first female colonel-student.
The grounds sit near the Maracanã football stadium, surrounded by residential streets and bus routes of northern Rio. Locals pass the gates daily on their way to work or school, and the presence of uniformed students adds a formal note to the everyday life of the neighborhood.
The school operates as an active educational campus and is not open to casual visitors, though special events or ceremonies may occasionally allow invited guests. The main entrance stands on São Francisco Xavier street, with bus lines running toward the city center and the São Cristóvão metro station nearby.
The original building was the Palacete do Barão de Itacurussá, a mansion later demolished, while the current site became the school's home only after several relocations in the early 20th century. The institution holds protected heritage status under IPHAN, Brazil's national heritage institute, recognizing its architectural and institutional links to Brazilian history.
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