Doni Clemons
Parque Das Ruinas or Park of Ruins is a great place for visitors interested in seeing art in beautiful surroundings. The park contains the remains of a mansion which belonged to the Brazilian heiress Laurinda Santos Lobo. The house had been a meeting place for many great intellectuals and artists before the heiress’ death in 1946. Now the site is an architectural mix of old and new. Some of the original brick construction of the mansion remains and has been restored with brick, steel, and glass additions. There is a small gallery on the ground floor which generally displays work of Brazilian artists. Sometimes the park hosts other forms of artistic expression like music, dance or film viewings.However, the greatest draw of the park is the viewing platform. A splendid view of Rio is awaiting visitors that climb the steps to the top of the viewing platform, probably the most enriching “permanent exhibit” of the park.
