Igreja Positivista do Brasil, Positivist temple in Glória, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Igreja Positivista do Brasil is a neoclassical building located on Benjamin Constant Street, featuring the motto Order and Progress on its front facade. The interior is characterized by rows of busts in the central nave and houses historical collections within its walls.
Miguel Lemos founded the Brazilian Positivist Church in May 1881, establishing a center to spread Auguste Comte's philosophical and religious teachings throughout the nation. The building was later erected as a physical home for this intellectual movement and its followers.
The temple displays busts of notable figures from religion, literature, philosophy, science, and politics throughout its central nave. This arrangement reflects the Positivist idea of honoring and celebrating human achievement across different fields.
The building remains closed to visitors due to structural damage affecting the roof that has persisted since 2009. This means the interior and its collections cannot currently be viewed in person.
The building houses a collection of around 1500 ancient books and contains personal artifacts including a bed that belonged to Tiradentes, a key figure in Brazilian independence. These items make it a repository of both philosophical and national history.
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