Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro

Duque de Caxias is a city located on Guanabara Bay and is part of the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area in southeastern Brazil. It is bordered by Rio de Janeiro city to the south. As of 2024, the city had a population of 866,347 people and covers an area of 465 km². This makes it the second most populous suburb of Rio de Janeiro city, the third most populous in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area, and also the third most populous city in Rio de Janeiro state. The current mayor of the city is Washington Reis.

The city is named after Luís Alves de Lima e Silva, Duke of Caxias, who was born there in 1803. Duque de Caxias is also the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Duque de Caxias. Important industries in the city include chemicals and oil refining.

The local football team is called Duque de Caxias Futebol Clube. They play their home matches at Estádio Romário de Souza Faria, which can hold up to 10,000 people. Another stadium, Estádio De Los Larios, is located in the district of Xerém. It has a capacity of 11,000 people and is the home ground of Esporte Clube Tigres do Brasil.

History

Monarchy

The area now known as Duque de Caxias was first settled in the 1500s. Early settlers grew sugar, corn, beans, and rice. Rivers were the main way to move goods because roads were few and unsafe. The Port of Estrela became an important place for trade.

When gold was found in nearby areas, Duque de Caxias became a stop for travelers and goods. However, cutting down trees caused rivers to flood and fill with dirty water. This created marshes where mosquitoes lived, spreading diseases. Many people left the area, and it became hard to live there.

Republic

Later, new railroads connected Duque de Caxias to Rio de Janeiro, bringing more people and jobs. The government also cleaned up rivers and built bridges, helping to stop diseases.

As more people moved in, the area grew quickly. By the 1940s, it became its own city, named Duque de Caxias. Many families from other parts of Brazil came to find work and make a new home here.

Geography

The city of Duque de Caxias is located next to Guanabara Bay and is part of the Rio de Janeiro area in Brazil. It is bordered by Petrópolis and Miguel Pereira to the north, the Bay of Guanabara and Magé to the east, Rio de Janeiro city to the south, and São João do Meriti, Belford Roxo, and Nova Iguaçu to the west. The climate is generally hot, but some areas are warmer due to green spaces and closeness to the Serra dos Órgãos mountains.

Duque de Caxias includes parts of the Tinguá Biological Reserve, a protected forest area created in 1989, and the Taquara Municipal Nature Park, which welcomes many visitors each summer. The Meriti River separates Duque de Caxias from Rio de Janeiro city, while the Rio Iguaçu separates it from Nova Iguaçu. Other rivers, like the Rio Sarapuí and Saracuruna River, help define the city's different districts.

The population of Duque de Caxias has grown over time, reaching 873,921. In 2010, most people identified as brown or mixed race, with smaller groups of white and black residents.

Economy

The city of Duque de Caxias has grown a lot in recent years, especially in industry and trade. It has about 809 factories and 10,000 shops. In 2005, it had the 15th largest economy in Brazil and the second largest in the state of Rio de Janeiro, with 18.3 billion reais in total value.

Many big companies have set up in Duque de Caxias, such as the O Globo newspaper and the Carrefour store. The city is well located near important roads and is only 17 km from downtown Rio, making it easy to send products to places like São Paulo and Minas Gerais. The largest industrial area in Rio de Janeiro is here, with companies like Texaco, Shell, Esso, and Sadia. The main industries include chemicals, petrochemicals, metals, gas, plastics, furniture, and clothing.

Transport

Duque de Caxias has many ways to get around. There are 16 public transport companies and 11 bus companies that help people travel within the city. There are also train lines, with 11 stations in total, including Duque de Caxias and Saracuruna. The city is connected by roads, including President Kennedy Avenue, the Rio-Teresópolis road, the Red Line, and BR-040, making it easy to reach nearby places like Magé.

Education

Duque de Caxias has many schools and places to study. There are 100 schools in total, including 2 federal schools, 102 state schools, and 128 private schools. Most people in the city who are 10 years old or older can read and write.

The city is home to several higher education institutions. The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro has a campus in Xerém, offering special programs in areas like nanotechnology and biotechnology. The Faculty of Education of Baixada Fluminense, part of the State University of Rio de Janeiro, offers programs in education, mathematics, and geography.

Other schools include the Educational Foundation of Duque de Caxias, UNIGRANRIO — the largest university in the city — and the University of Sa Estácio, among others. These schools provide many options for students looking to continue their education.

Culture

The city has the Centro Cultural Oscar Niemeyer and a square called the Center Pacifier in the neighborhood. There is also a Public Library named Leonel de Moura Brizola and a theater called Teatro Municipal Raul Cortez. The library has about 10,000 books, and the theater has 440 seats.

The city also has the Historical Institute and Theater Procópio Ferreira. On December 11, 1980, it was named after Alderman Thomé Siqueira Barreto. The collection includes about 6,000 photos, 1,000 documents, 680 books, 1,700 newspapers, and 85 tables. Some special items are a candlestick, a picture of St. Anthony, and photos of important events like the arrival of piped water and visits by leaders.

Heritage

Our Lady of Pilar Church is located on the Old Road of Pillar. It was built in 1720 and has beautiful baroque features, similar to buildings in Minas Gerais. The materials used in its construction came from the Monastery of St. Benedict. The church was registered on May 25, 1938.

Fazenda São Bento is the oldest farm in the area. It began in 1591 when the Monastery of St. Benedict bought land from Christopher Monteiro. Today, only ruins remain of the chapel from 1645 and the big house built between 1754 and 1757. These ruins were declared historic heritage on June 10, 1957.

Amenities

The theater at City Hall opened on February 28, 1975. It was later named Procópio Ferreira Theater to honor a famous actor, with the help of local leaders. The actor and his daughter were special guests at the opening, along with Nelson Carneiro. In 1978, a play called Canudos was performed there and won an award.

The oldest public theater in Duque de Caxias is the Armando Melo Theater, which was founded in 1967.

Sports

The city is home to two football clubs: Duque de Caxias Futebol Clube and Esporte Clube Tigres do Brasil. Both teams played in the top level of the state championship in 2009.

Duque de Caxias has two football stadiums. The Romário de Souza Faria stadium, used by Duque de Caxias Futebol Clube, can hold 10,000 spectators. The Estádio De Los Larios stadium, used by Tigres do Brasil Esporte Clube, can hold 11,000 spectators. The city also has an Olympic village.

Neighborhoods and districts

District 1

• Centro (downtown)
• Jardim Vinte e Cinco de Agosto
• Parque Beira Mar
• Centenário
• Engenho do Porto
• Parque Duque
• Parque Lafaiete
• Vila São Luís
• Jardim Leal
• Gramacho
• Sarapuí
• Doutor Laureano
• Bar dos Cavaleiros
• Jardim Gramacho
• Olavo Bilac
• Periquitos
• Corte Oito

District 2

• Campos Elíseos
• Pilar
• Cidade dos Meninos
• Jardim Primavera
• Figueira
• Capivari
• Saracuruna

District 3

• Imbariê
• Nova Campina
• Santa Cruz da Serra
• Cangulo
• Chacarás Rio Petropolis
• Chacara Arcampo
• Eldourado
• Taquara
• Parque Paulista
• Parque Equitativa
• Alto da Serra
• Santa Lúcia
• Jardim Anhangá
• Parada Morabi

District 4

• Xerém
• Mantiquira
• Parque Capivari
• Jardim Olimpo
• Lamarão
• Amapá
• Vila Canaã

Notable people

Duque de Caxias has been home to many well-known people.

Luis Alves de Lima e Silva was an important military and political figure in Brazil. Fernandinho Beira-Mar was a leader of a local group. Júlio César and Roberto Dinamite were both famous football goalkeepers. Bruna Marquezine is an actress, and several other footballers such as Davidson, Alex Teixeira, and Wendel also come from this city. Tiffani Marinho is a notable athlete.