Cinelandia Square, Rio de Janeiro

Cinelandia Square is one of Rio de Janeiro’s most emblematic urban spaces, closely tied to the city’s transformation into a modern capital in the early 20th century. Officially named Floriano Peixoto Square, after Brazil’s second president, it is far better known by its popular name, Cinelandia. Originally, this site was occupied by the Ajuda Convent, built in 1750.

During the 1910s and 1920s, several grand cinemas opened here, turning the area into Rio’s main entertainment district. Although most of those cinemas have since closed or changed function, the nickname “Cinelandia,” meaning “cinema land,” has endured.

Architecturally, the square is framed by some of Rio’s most significant public buildings. The Municipal Theatre, inspired by the Paris Opera, dominates the scene, while nearby stand the National Library and the Pedro Ernesto Palace.

At the center of the square, visitors will find an impressive monument to Marshal Floriano Peixoto, incorporating sculpted scenes that represent key moments in Brazilian history. A bronze statue of Carlos Gomes, a celebrated 19th-century Brazilian composer, also stands nearby.