at a glance

the neighborhood of Olaria is located in the zona norte (north zone) of rio de janeiro,  part of the Leopoldinense region, limited by Avenida Brasil, or 'Brazil Avenue', to the northeast, and Morro do Alemâo, to the southwest. It is surrounded by the neighborhoods penha, penha circular, engenho da rainha, complexo do alemão and ramos.

Historically, the area of Morro do Alemâo, or 'German's Hill', and its surroundings, were rich in red clay. In order to capitalize on this resource Francisco José Pareira Rego created several pottery shops on the land that he bought in 1820.

Over time other inhabitants of the region expanded the industry by creating more pottery and brickwork shops. As a result, the whole region was known as Região das Olarias, or 'Pottery Region'.