View from Niterói Contemporary Art Museum: Condomínio Mirante da Boa Viagem
I had to ask Gemini 3.1 Pro (dated Feb 23, 2026) about the history of Mosteiro de São Bento as it was a surprise stop and surprisingly impressive-
The Mosteiro de São Bento (Monastery of St. Benedict) in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most significant historical, architectural, and religious monuments in Brazil. It is famous for the striking contrast between its austere exterior (Mannerist style) and its breathtakingly opulent, gold-leafed Baroque interior.
Arrival of the Monks: The history begins in 1590 when two Benedictine monks, Pedro Ferraz and João Porcalho, arrived in Rio de Janeiro from Bahia.
Initial Construction: The monks built a modest, simple chapel to start. It wasn’t until 1617 that the construction of the current, much larger building officially began, following plans drawn up by the Portuguese military engineer Francisco Frias de Mesquita.
Active Monastery: Unlike many historical churches that have been converted purely into museums, the Mosteiro de São Bento is still an active, working monastery.
Address: R. Dom Gerardo, 68 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20090-030, Brazil
Website: https://wikifavelas.com.br/index.php/MACquinho
Address: R. Nair Margem Pereira, 1 – Ingá, Niterói – RJ, Brazil
We didn’t touch Brutalism at all in Rio, saving the wealth of this style for our stop in São Paolo, but had we- this building BNDES would probably have been top of the list. Another one for next time.
Website: BNDES (in Portuguese)
Address: Av. República do Chile, 100 – Centro, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20013-900, Brazil
Website: Rio Museum of Art (ArchDaily write up)
Address: Praça Mauá, 5 – Saúde, Rio de Janeiro – RJ, 20081-240, Brazil
Finally! Something the LLM could not tell me but perhaps another human could- whatever this dilapidated building used to be it could not fine. Success!
Address: 22°57’40.0″S 43°10’30.8″W
ofallthespaces 