The Bibi Costa Mansion — O Castelinho

OVERVIEW

The Palacete Bibi Costa — also called the José Júlio de Andrade Mansion, or O Castelinho — stands at the corner of Rua Joaquim Nabuco and Avenida Governador José Malcher in Belém's Nazaré district. It was built by the engineer Francisco Bolonha in 1904–06, in record time, for a visit by President Afonso Pena, and is an icon of the eclectic architecture of the Amazon rubber cycle, notable for early reinforced concrete — reinforced, for lack of anything else, with tram rails that are still in the structure.

HISTORY

It was built for José Júlio de Andrade (1862–1953), politician, merchant and rubber-plantation owner in the interior of Pará, noted for his cruelty to his workers. He owned slaves long after slavery was abolished in Brazil and used instruments of torture on his plantation. The house was laid out on colonial lines: business on the ground floor, the family above, servants confined to the basement.

REPORTED ACTIVITY

The mansion has a long reputation for being haunted, connected with Andrade's cruelty on his plantations, with "dozens of testimonies of the noise of chains dragging across the floor, sudden screams, figures, and voices."

VISITING

Not open to the public and may not be visited. Seen from the street at the corner of Rua Joaquim Nabuco and Av. Gov. José Malcher.