Duque de Caxias Square (Rio de Janeiro)

 square  Add category

Duque de Caxias Square (Portuguese: Praça Duque de Caxias) was detached from Republic Square (Praça da República) with the construction of Presidente Vargas Avenue. It honors Brazil's greatest soldier and hero of the Paraguaryan War. It serves as place for harboring government dignataries and as the site for the official reviewing stand during the September 7 Parade and other military cerimonies.

At one point, together with Praça da Republica, was part of Campo de Sant'ana, a swamp turned into the most popular park during colonial times, where religious parties, popular mainfestations, Sunday pic-nics and other leisure activites took place. It is also the natural dividing line between the Old Town (Rio's city center), to the East of President Vargas Avenue; and Cidade Nova (New City), to the West of it.