Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden celebrates 216 years with special trail about Friar Leandro

In the year that the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden celebrates its 216th anniversary, it is also commemorating the 200th anniversary of Friar Leandro do Sacramento's (1779-1829) tenure at the institution. For this double celebration, the JBRJ is offering the public an unprecedented trail, on June 13, at 10 a.m., presenting the species that mark the Carmelite friar's time at the Garden.

A renowned botanist, Friar Leandro transformed what was then a mere garden for the acclimatization of exotic species into a place for scientific education, research and visits. The construction of the beautiful lake and the hill that today bear his name date back to his administration. He also enlarged the arboretum, created new alleys, introduced, managed, researched and collected species, including native ones, that were commercially, culturally, emotionally or economically important at the time, and published an important study on the culture and preparation of tea, among other achievements.

Participants on the Frei Leandro Trail will learn about the characteristics and stories of 10 species, revisiting the Garden of 200 years ago. It includes, for example, the tea (Camelia sinensis), the biribá or fruta-do-conde (Annona mucosa), the ox-eye (Dimocarpus longan) and the breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis). Of the latter, it is said that the friar offered visitors small treats of the fruit picked in the arboretum and baked in the oven.

There are 30 places on offer for the trail, which is free of charge and there is only an entrance fee for the Arboretum. Entries must be made at the Visitor Center in person or by calling (21) 3874-1808 or emailing  cvis@jbrj.gov.br.

Sensory Garden - Also as part of the celebrations for the 216th anniversary of the JBRJ, the Sensory Garden reopens to public visitation on Friday, June 14, after a few months closed for maintenance of the physical facilities, revision of the information plaques and reorganization of 60 sections that include groupings by family, genus and species. Of the 97 species that can be seen there, 23 were introduced in the redesign. These changes aim to provide a multi-sensory approach, encouraging direct interaction between visitors and nature.

216 years of the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden - Frei Leandro Trail
Day 13 June 2024, at 10 a.m.
Meeting point: Visitor Center
Rua Jardim Botânico, 1008, Rio de Janeiro.
Tel: (21) 3874-1808

Tickets to the Arboretum
Visitors residing in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area (75% discount): R$ 18,00

Visitors residing in Brazil (60% off): R$ 29,00

Foreign Mercosur visitors (25% off): R$ 55,00

Foreign visitors: R$ 73.00

Payment at the box office in cash only. Tickets online, via pix or credit card, at jbrj.eleventickets.com (with CPF)

Children under 5 don't pay. Students, disabled people and people over 60 are entitled to half-price tickets on presentation of a supporting document.