The Sitio Burle Marx is a delightful place 45 minutes away from Rio with wonderful gardens and inspiring open spaces. It has views over an estuary and the Mata Atlântica (tropical forest), interesting concrete pergolas embedded in vegetation and colourful hand painted tiles. Impressive also Marx' collection of Scandinavian and Murano vases, ex-votos and pre-Columbian objects.
About:
Roberto Burle Marx / São Paulo 1909 - Rio de Janeiro 1994 / Brazilian landscape architect.
At the age of 4 he moved to Rio, Leme, with his family and later with 18 to Germany to study music and painting. A highlight of his German stay was his visit to the Dahlem Botanical Gardens in Berlin where he became acquainted to the Brazilian tropical plants that he started using when back in Brazil.
1949 he bought the Sítio Santo Antônio da Bica (today Sitio Burle Marx) to store his collection of plants. The Sitio was an 80ha estate with an old country house and a small XVIII century chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony. Burle Marx refurbished the old house and built an extension, while allegedly architect Lucio Costa restored the chapel. Burle Marx lived in the Sitio for 45 years and used it as his atelier, as venue for his concerts, feasts and generally as a get together place for friends and colleagues. Among his visitors Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius and Pablo Neruda.
His work:
Copacabana Beach promenade, Flamengo Park in Rio, Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo and Pampulha Gardens in Belo Horizonte.
Other Sources:
A mesa com Burle Marx (At the table with Burle Marx) by Claudia Pinheiro, 2008, Editora Batel
Photos by PS
Sitio Burle Marx / Estrada da Barra de Guaratiba, 2019 / Barra de Guaratiba / Rio de Janeiro
T (021) 410-1412 / 410-1171
Open by appointment only
