Historic building in Rio was opened to the public on November 21 with the unprecedented exhibition “Tea Route – Botany, Culture and Tradition”, as part of the celebrations for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Brazil and China
On November 16, State Grid Brazil Holding inaugurated the new Casa Pacheco Leão – one of the most emblematic historical buildings in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden. Closed for about eight years, the house, where physician Antônio Pacheco Leão, director of the Botanical Garden from 1915 to 1931, lived, underwent restoration work for seven months and had its original colors of the walls restored in various shades, as well as the windows, doors, railings and internal frames. Other relics restored are the artistic paintings on the walls, the staircase and the original flooring. The property also received an elevator and accessible bathrooms. The investment for the work was R$1,400,000, approved by the Ministry of Culture through the Federal Law of Incentive to Culture, with sponsorship from State Grid Brazil Holding and Banco BOCOM BBM. The entire process was authorized and monitored by the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage (Iphan).
Inside, the exhibition “Tea Route – Botany, Culture and Tradition” is now open to the public, with an investment of approximately R$1.4 million. It traces the history of tea from its ancient origins in China to its global spread, highlighting the rituals, arts and social evolution associated with its production and consumption. The program includes musical performances, lectures and workshops, and admission is free. The Botanical Garden is part of this history because it was the first place in Brazil where the cultivation of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) was introduced by Chinese people brought by the Portuguese crown especially for this work, at the beginning of the 19th century.
The inauguration was attended by the Minister of Culture, Margareth Menezes; the Chinese ambassador to Brazil, Zhu Qing Qiao; the vice president of SGCC, Jin Wei; the chairman and CEO of SGBH, Sun Tao and Sun Peng; as well as the president of Jardim Botânico, Sergio Besserman, other members of the SMC of State Grid and other executives from the market.
“This is another important milestone in our contribution to the celebration of 50 years of friendship and partnership between Brazil and China. The delivery of the fully restored Casa Pacheco Leão is a way of reinforcing the importance we give to preserving the country’s history and culture. We are proud to provide this experience to all visitors to the Botanical Garden,” said Sun Tao, noting that the gardens of the Casa, during the term of the cooperation agreement between the Botanical Garden and State Grid, will feature the symbolism representing the friendship between the countries.
Rio residents and tourists have another cultural option. The renovation of Casa Pacheco Leão – one of the most emblematic historic buildings in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden – was completed in October. The inauguration ceremony will be held at an event for invited guests on November 16, and the general public will be able to visit the attraction, which features the unprecedented exhibition “Rota do Chá – Botânica, Cultura e Tradição” (Tea Route – Botany, Culture and Tradition), starting on November 21. The handover of the building and the exhibition are part of the actions commemorating the 50 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and China. Admission to the Casa will be free and open from Thursday to Tuesday, from 9 am to 5 pm.
The newspaper O Globo highlighted the reopening of Casa Pacheco Leão, in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, with the exhibition “Tea Route – Botany, Culture and Tradition”, as yet another cultural option in the South Zone of the capital of Rio de Janeiro.
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Historic mansion in Jardim Botânico reopens with exhibition on the tea route
