Petrópolis disaster leaves a scar on Brazil’s historical landmarks

Petrópolis, a city of 300,000 nestled in mountains 68 kilometers outside of Rio de Janeiro, has been ravaged by mudslides and flooding since Tuesday. After a month’s worth of rain fell in just six hours, entire streets saw their buildings destroyed. Deaths continue to rise, with the tally topping the 130 mark by Saturday morning; 218 people remain missing.

Shop owners saw losses in the millions, while residents lost their homes, contents, and cars.

In addition to the human and material losses, the disaster in Petrópolis also represents a massive blow to the country’s historical heritage. 

Petrópolis was founded in 1843 by Emperor Pedro II, who was attracted by the region’s pleasant climate and natural beauty, with the city becoming the Royal Court’s residence during warmer months. The monarch brought Bavarian immigrants to settle the area, while he developed the city around the Imperial Palace.

According to the National Historical Heritage Institute (Iphan), there are over 1,000 historical constructions considered historical landmarks in Petrópolis city center, with another 10,000 dating back to the 19th century, but which are not officially listed.

The Barão do Rio Negro Palace, which served as a vacation home for Brazilian presidents until the late 1960s, was damaged by the flooding, as waters swelled up to inundate the entire ground floor. Landslides affected part of the property but did not cause structural damage to the building, a...