Now Brazil's historic National Museum (Museu Nacional) in Rio de Janeiro has been destroyed in a major fire.
The fire broke out after closing time on Sunday. No injuries were reported, but irreplaceable cultural assets are feared to have gone up in smoke.
”This is a tragic day for Brazil,” President Michel Temer said in a statement. ”200 years of work, research and knowledge are gone.”.
The museum was founded in 1818 by the Portuguese King John VI (João VI). He had fled Napoleon's advance in Europe, established the capital of Portugal in Rio, and had himself proclaimed Emperor of Brazil. The building, which has now burned down, was still called the Imperial Palace.
But the venerable institution is located in a part of Rio that has been left behind by the era of beach life and skyscraper worship. Like many other grand buildings in and around the city's old center, the complex has fallen into disrepair and is in urgent need of renovation.
“We never received anything from the federal government,” Luiz Duarte, who was part of the institution's management, told the media company Globo.
– We recently signed an agreement with (the state development bank) BNDES for a major investment, to finally renovate the palace. Ironically, the plans included new fire protection.
Source: TT
