The construction of the first station in the centre of Rio de Janeiro began in 1855, to serve as the
terminus of the new
Estrada de Ferro Dom Pedro II (
Dom Pedro II Railway) which was to connect the city, then the capital of Brazil, with the provinces of
São Paulo and
Minas Gerais. The location chosen for this station was the
Campo de Santana, an area close to the city center and at the time the site of many government buildings. Its construction necessitated the demolition of the
Igreja de Santa Ana (
Church of Saint Anne) dating from 1735, but a wooden image of the saint, originating from Portugal, can still be found in a chapel at the station. The station, then known as the
Estação do Campo due to its location, was opened along with the first section of the railway line from Rio de Janeiro to
Queimados in March 1858 in the presence of
Emperor Pedro II,
Empress Teresa Christine and the bishop. The name of the station was shortly afterwards changed to
Estação da Corte, in reference to the
Imperial Court. and was completed in 1945. Since 2014, the station has also been served by the
Teleférico da Providência, a
gondola lift service connecting it with the neighborhood of
Providência. == Architecture ==