at a glance

campo grande is a bairro (neigborhood) in the zona oeste (west zone) of rio de janeiro, surrounded by the bairros of santíssimo, vargem grande and paciência along the main highways of avenida brazil and avenida de santa cruz. To the north it also shares a border with the distinct municipality of Nova Iguaçu.

In colonial times, the whole area northwest of Morro da Pedra Branca, or 'White Stone Mountain' was known as Campo Grande, or 'Large Field'. At the time it was inhabited by the indigenous Picinguaba people, and only came to be occupied by the Portuguese at the end of the 17th century when the region was donated by the government to Manoel Barcelos Domingos.

In the same year the Igreja Nossa Senhora do Desterro, or the 'Church of Our Lady of Exile' was constructed. At the time the region was already thriving with the production of sugarcane and the cultivation of bovine cattle, which was made possible by the hard work and ingenuity of the Jesuits. The first coffee allotments were planted on these fields between 1760 and 1770, and enjoyed great success, eventually leading to the widespread cultivation of coffee across Rio de Janeiro.