# Magé

Magé is a municipality of 245,0000 people (2019) in Baixada Fluminense, in the region of Grande Rio, state of Rio de Janeiro. Among its sights, are the Poço Bento, with holy water by the Jesuit José de Anchieta. Another attraction is the Estrada de Ferro Mauá, now deactivated, but which once connected with the city of Petrópolis. It was the first railroad in the country. Today, this historic railway is largely abandoned, although a section of it that connects Piabetá to Vila Inhomirim is still in operation today as part of the Vila Inhomirim branch of SuperVia.

## Understand

Magé is a municipality located on the north shore of Guanabara Bay, and at the foot of the mountain range known as Serra do Mar. It is one of the 13 municipalities of Baixada Fluminense. In 1990, Magé lost the territory corresponding to its former district of Guapimirim, which was emancipated, becoming a municipality itself.
The municipality of Magé is crossed by the BR-116 and BR-493 highways, and is served by the Vila Inhomirim and Guapimirim railway lines.

## Get in

From the Central Zone of the capital, you can go to the municipality of Magé by using urban bus, van and train lines. If you choose the train service, it will be necessary to make free transfers within the Gramacho and Saracuruna stations to get the municipality of Magé. The train line to Gramacho departs from Central do Brasil station. Bus lines to Magé depart from Terminal Américo Fontenelle, in the downtown area of Rio de Janeiro. The van lines to Magé depart from the surrounding region of Central do Brasil.
The main road access to Magé for those coming from downtown Rio de Janeiro are the BR-116 highway and the BR-493 highway (Rio-Magé highway).

## See

* Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos (PARNASO - Serra dos Órgãos National Park), ☏ +55 21 2152-1100, sac.parnaso@icmbio.gov.br. A large park located on the mountain range called Serra dos Órgãos, in the north of the municipality of Magé.
* Serra da Estrela (Estrela Mountain Range). A sector of Serra do Mar, in the north of Magé.
* Área de Proteção Ambiental Guapimirim (APA Guapimirim - Guapimirim Environmental Protection Area), BR 493, Km 12,8, ☏ +55 21 2633-0079. One of the main Environmental Protection Areas in the state.
* Estação Ecológica da Guanabara (Guanabara Ecological Station), BR 493, Km 12,8, ☏ +55 21 2633-0079. An Ecological Station surrounded by the APA Guapimirim, on the shoreline of the Guanabara Bay.
* Parque Natural Municipal Barão de Mauá (Barão de Mauá Municipal Natural Park). A natural park in Ypiranga, in the district of Guia de Pacobaíba.
* Praia de Mauá (Mauá beach). Located in the district of Guia de Pacobaíba (this district is also known as "Praia de Mauá" or simply "Mauá")
* Rio Inhomirim (Inhomirim river).
* Rio Suruí (Suruí river).
* Rio Roncador (Roncador river).
* Canal Magemirim (Magemirim channel).
* Palácio Anchieta (Anchieta Palace), Dr. Nilo Peçanha square - Centro. Inaugurated on October 22, 1949, with characteristics from the Estado Novo period, the palace was built at Nilo Peçanha square to be the headquarters of the Municipality of Magé by the then mayor José Ullmann Junior. The building sits in a tree-lined square, surrounded by buildings from different eras. The place is a traditional point of reference for residents and visitors to the Center of Magé.
* Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Church of Nossa Senhora da Piedade), Avenida Padre Anchieta, 256, ☏ +55 21 2633-1388. Church in the downtown area of Magé.
* Capela de Nossa Senhora dos Remédios (Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios), Rua Francisco Cruz, Imperador, Mauá. Chapel in Guia de Pacobaíba.
* Capela do Nosso Senhor do Bonfim (Chapel of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim). This Chapel in Morro da Figueira (now known as Morro do Bonfim), in the Center, was built in 1883. The famous Mirindiba, a century-old tree that, according to legend, would be an Indian, of Tupinambá lineage, who was enchanted by the shaman of her tribe. The elementary religious construction retains the characteristics of other branch chapels in Magé, despite having brick masonry. Even though it is modern, the façade has a triangular shape and classic corners, with the belfry having a lighter and more delicate design. Erected on September 8, 1876, it overlooks the city at its feet from the top of the highest elevation in the center of Magé, and from there it is possible to view the points of the city.
* Igreja de Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Church of Nossa Senhora Aparecida), Rua Santa Elisa, 188 - Piabetá, ☏ +55 21 2659-0087. Church in the center of Piabetá, near the bus station of this neighborhood.
* Ruínas do Porto da Estrela (Ruins of Porto da Estrela). Located in Mauá, close to the Guia de Pacobaíba train station and the Mauá Railway, in the shoreline of the Guanabara Bay.
* Antiga estação ferroviária Guia de Pacobaíba (Old Guia de Pacobaíba train station). The first train station of Brazil, located in the district of Mauá.
* Estrada de Ferro Mauá (Mauá Railway). The first railway of Brazil. Nowadays it starts in Guia de Pacobaíba, in the south of Magé, close to the Guanabara Bay, and ends in Raiz da Serra, in the north of the municipality, at the foot of Serra da Estrela.

## Do

* The deactivated Guia de Pacobaíba train station and the Mauá Railway are the first train station and the first railway in Brazil. The Mauá Railway connected Guia de Pacobaíba, in the south of Magé, right in the shoreline of the Guanabara Bay, to Raiz da Serra, in the north of the municipality, at the foot of the mountain range known as Serra da Estrela. Only the final stretch of this railway (from Piabetá to Raiz da Serra) is still used by commuter trains.
* Right behind the Guia de Pacobaíba train station are the ruins of Porto da Estrela (Estrela Port).
* The Caminho do Ouro is an old trail built by slaves that connected Rio de Janeiro to Minas Gerais. It was inaugurated in 1723 in Vila Inhomirim. Along the way up you can see an unexplored region of the Atlantic Forest, protected by the Serra dos Órgãos National Park, with almost deserted waterfalls, old buildings in ruins from the time of slavery, and ruins of the old Northern Line of the Leopoldina Railway, which connected Vila Inhomirim to Petrópolis.

## Eat

* Magé Grill Restaurante e Churrascaria - Rua Dr. Domingos Belize, 104 - Centro.

## Sleep

* Hotel Vagalume - Avenida Simão da Motta, 5 - Centro.

## Go next

* Duque de Caxias
* São João de Meriti
* Belford Roxo
* Guapimirim
* Itaboraí
* São Gonçalo
* Niterói
* Rio de Janeiro