Memorial de Maria
The Memorial de Maria is a mausoleum and memorial to Princess Maria Louise, wife of Emperor Augusto I of Brazil.
Architecture
The Memorial de Maria is built in a similar style as the neo-classical pillars, with a marble statue of Maria adorning the center, being embraced by angels, with a pond surrounding the statues.
History
Augusto and Maria were wed at a young age in 1888, where Maria had four children in five years. Taking a great toll on her physical health, Maria fell ill. She passed away shortly after giving birth to her daughter, Princess Isabella Christina.
Construction began in 1900, employing thousands of Brazilian workers. Built in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro, construction was finished in 1910, becoming a spot for lovers and mourners alike as a pilgrimage.
Tourism
The Memorial de Maria receives more than three million visitors each year, becoming one of the staples of Rio de Janeiro. Though the Memorial itself is free to visit, the location requires transit costs to get to.
Thank you so much for participating in Marchitecture! The winner has been selected and announced on the Marchitecture article and community post, but I wanted to leave a comment to appreciate all the runners up, as it was TOUGH competition omg I know this article is on the shorter side, but I appreciated the information and how it was presented regardless! Seeing how things are converted into tourist destinations is always a great way to approach architecture.
Yay, thank you so much! This was really fun to do, and I’m so happy to participate.