at a glance

It was home to the presidency of the Brazilian Republic in palácio do catete, or 'Catete Palace' as well as a number of picturesque and colorful buildings dating back to the late 19th and early 20th Century, also known as the 'belle époque' of the city.

The area gained its name from the central street running through it, 'Rua do Catete', which predates Portuguese colonization, and can be found in early accounts of battles between the Portuguese and French - It was inhabited in those times by Tamoios Indians, in whose indigenous tongue the word 'Catete' signified 'thick forest'.

the name 'catete' was first given to the region in association with a section of the carioca river that flowed through neighborhood of flamengo - in fact, the beachfront that extends from the neighborhood of catete is today called flamengo beach.