Laranjeiras - Brasil

Laranjeiras in 1821. Drawing by pioneering travel author Maria Callcott in her book Journal of a Voyage to Brazil, and Residence There, During Part of the Years 1821, 1822, 1823.

Laranjeiras (Portuguese pronunciation: [laɾɐ̃ˈʒejɾɐʃ], orange trees) is an upper-middle-class neighborhood located in the Zona Sul area of Rio de Janeiro. Primarily residential, It is one of the city's oldest neighborhoods, having been founded in the 17th century, with the construction of country houses in the valley located around the Carioca River, which bordered Corcovado Mountain. Because of this, the neighborhood was previously called Vale do Carioca, or Carioca Valley.

While primarily residential, several important governmental, cultural, and sports institutions and schools make this a bustling neighborhood. Well known landmarks in Laranjeiras include the Palácio Guanabara (seat of the state government of Rio de Janeiro), the Palácio Laranjeiras (official residence of the state's governor), and the Parque Guinle (Guinle Park), as well as the headquarters and Laranjeiras Stadium of Fluminense Football Club, and Rio's branch of the Hebraica Social and Sports Club, and several others.

Laranjeiras is adjacent to the Cosme Velho, Catete, Flamengo and Botafogo Neighborhoods.

Laranjeiras' main streets (ruas) are:

• Rua das Laranjeiras
• Rua Conde de Baependi
• Rua Pinheiro Machado
• Rua General Glicério
• Rua Pereira da Silva
• Rua Alice
• Rua São Salvador
• Rua Gago Coutinho
• Rua Mário Portela
• Rua Sebastião Lacerda
• Rua Cardoso Júnior
• Rua Pires de Almeida.
• Rua Ipiranga
• Rua Soares Cabral
• Rua Almirante Benjamin Sodré
• Rua Álvaro Chaves
• Rua Moura Brasil

Well-known people that live, or have lived in Laranjeiras include:

• Cartola (Angenor de Oliviera), singer, composer and poet.
• Cássia Eller, singer.
• Machado de Assis, writer.
• Mel Lisboa, actress.
• Paulo Gracindo, actor.
• Heráclito Fontoura Sobral Pinto, human rights lawyer.

• Os Bairros (the districts of Rio de Janeiro, in Portuguese)