Once a foundry for the manufacturing of safes and ovens, Fundição Progresso today hosts avant-garde exhibitions, concerts and samba performances throughout the year. There's also a cafe, a bar and a shop selling locally made apparel and accessories. The building is one of the few in the area that survived the 1950s neighborhood redistricting project to widen Av República do Paraguai.

The center also hosts the occasional art exhibition. If you're sticking around Rio for a while, you can sign up for classes in capoeira, dance, yoga and theater arts.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Arcos da Lapa

0.05 MILES

A much-photographed symbol of Lapa, the arches date back to the mid-18th century, when the structure served as an aqueduct to carry water from the Carioca…

2. Museu de Arte Sacra

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This small museum in the basement of the Catedral Metropolitana contains some exquisite carvings by Mestre Valentim and a number of historical items. Don…

3. Catedral Metropolitana

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This enormous cone-shaped cathedral was inaugurated in 1976 after 12 years of construction. Among its sculptures, murals and other works of art, the four…

4. Bonde Station

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From this station you can take the Bonde tram to Santa Teresa. It's a marvelous ride on a quaint yellow streetcar over the Lapa Arches to the hilltop…

5. Escadaria Selarón

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One of Rio's best-loved attractions, the steps leading up from Joaquim Silva became a work of art when Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón decided to cover…

6. Passeio Público

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The oldest park in Rio, the Passeio Público was built in 1783 by Mestre Valentim, a famous Brazilian sculptor, who designed it after Lisbon's botanical…

7. Praça Floriano

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The heart of modern Rio, the Praça Floriano (known to cariocas simply as Cinelândia) comes to life at lunchtime and after work when its outdoor cafes fill…

8. Theatro Municipal

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Built in 1905 in the style of the Paris Opera, the magnificent Municipal Theater is the home of Rio's opera, orchestra and ballet. Its lavish interior…