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 Landscape architect Burle Marx bought a ranch in Rio in 1949
to store his growing collection of plants.
Today, it is a nature preserve and a place dedicated
to the study of landscape architecture, botany, and the arts.
By Stephanie Fletcher
During a meander through the Roberto Burle Marx Estate, an attraction in the
countryside west of Rio de Janeiro, I was stopped in my tracks by a marvelous turquoise
cascade. The aqua torrent was no waterfall, but a living curtain composed of showy,
crescent-shape jade flowers. This was not the first time during the stroll I had been awed
by a gorgeous display of tropical natural beauty.
Later the same day I visited Casa do Pontal—Museum of Brazilian Popular Art. Again
I found myself frequently stopping to marvel—this time the objects of my curiosity
and delight were manmade—fantastic headdresses decorated with mirrors and ribbons,
carved African/Brazilian deities, brightly-painted puppets, moving mechanical figures, and
thousands of small clay figures.
It takes about an hour to get from the South Zone—where most popular Rio hotels
are situated—to the West Zone where Sítio Roberto Burle Marx and Casa do Pontal are
located. However, the 40-mile drive along the ocean and through luxuriant tropical green
areas is a treat in itself. The West Zone is known for its permanently preserved areas of
Atlantic rainforest, swamps, river deltas, and unspoiled beaches. It provides excellent
day trip possibilities.
The hilly landscape of Sítio Roberto Burle Marx possesses the look of a lush paradise.
The vegetation comes in every shade of green, highlighted here and there with bold swaths
and explosions of incandescent color. In an area of approximately 100 acres, visitors can
see more than 3,500 species of plants including remarkable collections of bromeliads,
heliconias, orchids, palms, and water lilies. Bright blossoms drape from branches or perch
in clusters on vine-covered walls. During my walk along a stone-paved path I admired many
exotic tropical trees—sculptural ironwoods, almonds, mangos, palms, and cacaos.
Roberto Burle Marx himself is internationally acclaimed as one of the greatest
landscape architects of the 20th century. He died in 1994. In 1984 he donated his estate
to the Brazilian nation and it is considered a national treasure.
The grounds contain a charming restored 16th-century chapel dedicated to St.
Anthony and a sprawling ranch-like home. The house museum contains an extraordinary
collection of religious images, Spanish colonial artworks, pre-Columbian ceramics, pottery
from the River Jequitinhonha Valley, and Marx's own paintings.
Burle Marx bought the sítio in Barra de Guaratiba in 1949 to store his growing
collection of plants from all Brazilian ecosystems. Now, it is a nature preserve and a
place dedicated to the study of landscape architecture, botany, and the arts.
Sítio Roberto Burle Marx is open from Tuesday through Sunday. Two 1 1/2-hour guided
tours are scheduled daily at 9:30 am and at 4 pm. Only guided tours are allowed. They are
limited to 50 participants or less and must be scheduled in advance. The entrance fee is
about $2.
Rustic Restaurant César is located less than a mile from the gate to the Sítio. This
dining establishment is a great spot for lunch. Seafood is a specialty and fresh
vegetables used in food preparation are grown on the property. I enjoyed a wonderful
aromatic dish featuring chunks of fish, squid, octopus, and prawns in a savory broth
served with rice. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Friday from 11:30 am to 4 pm and
Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am to 5:30 pm.
Casa do Pontal—Museum of Brazilian Popular Art—is housed in a rather
unremarkable building that nestles into dense green shrubbery. Inside, visitors will find
what has been called the best and most complete collection of Brazilian craft art in the
country. More than 4,500 pieces are on display in this small museum. The artwork belongs
to Frenchman Jacques Van de Beuque who arrived in Brazil in 1946. He has added pieces to
this amazing collection for more than 50 years.
The first galleries are dedicated to handmade clay figures that stand about 6 to 8
inches high. These pieces are separated into categories based upon subject. In one area,
professions are on display. Scores of little stop-action vignettes picture dentists
pulling teeth, photographers snapping pictures, and doctors performing surgery. In an
adjacent space tiny lumberjacks, fishermen, and farmers frozen in mid-chore line up along
shelves in lighted display cases. Ceremonies and special events in life—weddings,
births, confirmations, and funerals—are the subjects of groupings in another area.
An unmarked white door in one room of the museum is half-opened. Curious visitors who
peek inside will discover a small collection of erotic and ribald figures in a space the
size of a walk-in closet. The museum is a popular field trip for schools, so, when busses
pull into the parking lot, the door to this particular gallery is closed and locked.
Wood carving, puppets, masks, and ceremonial head coverings are also on display. And
mechanical figures add a fascinating dimension to Van de Beuque's collection. Three
life-size musicians stand in one exhibition. One with a cigarette dangling on his lip
strums a guitar, a second squeezes an accordion between his hands, while the third strikes
a triangle with a metal wand. However, the piece de resistance is a complicated Carnaval
scene complete with samba dancers, floats, and reveling onlookers. When a switch is
flipped, the scene comes to life with music and a multitude of tiny gyrating hips, dancing
feet, and waving arms.
Casa do Pontal is open on Saturday and Sundays from 2 pm until 6 pm. A small admission
fee is charged.
For information:
City of Rio de Janerio Tourism Authority 212-375-0801 Website: www.rio.rj.gov.br/riotur
Literary award-winning novelist and experienced freelance
writer/photographer, Stephanie Fletcher, travels the world in search of intriguing
destinations. From her home office in Charlotte, North Carolina, she contributes
manuscripts and images to major American newspapers and magazines. Her client list
includes: New York Post, Miami Herald, Denver Post, Baltimore Sun, US Airways Attache,
Comair Navigator, National Geographic Traveler, Culinary Trends, Art & Antiques and
many others. Recently Fletcher enjoyed some Southern Hemisphere hospitality in Rio de
Janeiro, the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City). Contact: sfletcherz@aol.com
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