The oldest carnival block in Rio de Janeiro, Cordão da Bola Preta will gain a cultural center, which will operate at Rua da Recção 1, in the central region of the city and where the group’s headquarters are located.
The works, carried out by the city hall, will begin in the first half of this year and should last eight months. The announcement of the cultural center was made this Friday (6) by the mayor of Rio, Eduardo Paes, on a visit to the block.
Since 2007, Cordão da Bola Preta has been recognized as an intangible cultural asset in the city of Rio. Cultural activities linked to samba are held there.
“It has been in existence for 107 years and we have never achieved such an important moment for the history, future and survival of the largest cultural institution of the Rio carnival, perhaps in Brazil. This work represents everything for Bola Preta. It is a moment of extreme emotion and happiness. Finally, with this work, we will implement the history of the Bola Preta carnival, which is intertwined with the history of the Rio carnival”, said the president of Cordão da Bola Preta, Pedro Ernesto Marinho.
According to the project, a townhouse, facades and frames will be rebuilt, in addition to the modernization of the facilities.
The cultural center will have a bistro, kitchen, entrance hall, reception, space for shows and a lounge area. On the mezzanine, there will be a cabin, hall and toilets. The upper floor will house the administration, pantry and storage.
The total area to be recovered is 1,200 square meters, with capacity to accommodate around 1,200 people.
History of Bola Preta
Founded on December 13, 1918, Cordão da Bola Preta emerged from a meeting of friends at the Cave de Ouro bar, on Rua da Carioca, with the aim of preserving street carnival, at a time when the city of Rio was undergoing urban and cultural transformations.
Since its creation, the block adopted the colors black and white. Between the 1930s and 1970s, Bola Preta maintained the format of a carnival cordon, with marches, brass and percussion.
The block’s headquarters, which once operated on Avenida Treze de Maio, is currently located on Rua da Recção, becoming a meeting point for musicians and revelers.
