Free guided tour of Solar da Imperatriz is part of the special anniversary program of the National School of Tropical Botany

Celebrating 23 years of recognized excellence in its field, the National School of Tropical Botany at the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden will have a special program this Thursday ( June 6). To commemorate the date, ENBT will be promoting a series of activities, including a guided tour of the Empress Manor House, an exhibition of botanical illustrations and an educational workshop for teachers.

The first of its kind in Latin America, the ENBT offers master's and doctorate courses - academic and professional - with programs aimed at knowledge of the national flora, Brazilian ecosystems and biodiversity conservation, extension courses for the general public, vocational training for young people in situations of socio-economic vulnerability and training for civil servants and employees of the JBRJ itself and partner institutions, also covering the JBRJ's Environmental Education program.

Since its creation, the school has been based at Solar da Imperatriz, a rare example of semi-rural architecture in Rio de Janeiro, built in the 19th century. It is located in an area listed by the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) since 1973 as part of the Horto Florestal landscape complex, registered as an archaeological site in the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden.

The creation of the Extension Program in Botanical Illustration and the Postgraduate Program in Botany were ENBT's initial milestones. Subsequently, the School's activities expanded on several fronts, most notably the creation of a professional master's degree in Biodiversity in Protected Areas and the incorporation of JBRJ's Center for Social and Environmental Responsibility. In 2020, the first class of professional doctorates in Biodiversity in Protected Areas began.

Check out the program for the 23rd anniversary of the National School of Tropical Botany this Thursday, June 6, for the public:

- Free guided tour of the Empress Manor House
Time: 10 a.m.
15 places will be available to the public. The Botanical Garden will provide a bus to transport visitors. The meeting point will be at 9:30 am at the Visitor Center, located at Rua Jardim Botânico, 1008. To take part in the visit, you must register in advance by e-mailing cvis@jbrj.gov.br or calling (21) 3874-1808. The visit will last approximately two hours.

Guided by the Botanical Garden's architect and urban planner Dalila Thiago, visitors will learn about the history of the building, which has had various uses since the 19th century and represents an architectural language characteristic of the villas and manor houses located on the outskirts of the city of Rio de Janeiro at the time, with European neoclassical influences on the colonial style. As well as the main house, the public will also be able to visit the site of an old chapel - now an auditorium with stone walls - and the basement, with stone columns, where traces of the slave quarters have been discovered. The restoration work that the building underwent to become ENBT's headquarters at the turn of the 20th to the 21st century will also be covered.

- Exhibition of botanical illustrations
Opening times: from 9 a.m. in rooms 2 and 3 at ENBT.

Services
National School of Tropical Botany - 23 years
June 6, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rua Pacheco Leão, 2040, Horto, Rio de Janeiro
Free program
Tel: (21) 3875-6205
Guided tour of Solar da Imperatriz - tel: (21) 3874-1808 or email cvis@jbrj.gov.br