Geodiversity in Urban Cultural Spaces of Rio de Janeiro City: Revealing the Geoscientific Knowledge with Emphasis on the Fossil Content

Abstract

Urban geotourism itineraries have increased in recent years, since a large number of people are living in major cities and the building stones of the historical and architectural monuments can be used for scientific dissemination. These routes also include information such as geology, palaeontology, architecture, history, tourism and environment. This work presents geoscientific information through a multidisciplinary approach, with emphasis on the fossil content in the building stones. The cultural spaces in the historical centre of Rio de Janeiro City studied are (1) Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura, (2) Guitarra de Prata store, (3) Confeitaria Colombo, (4) Paco Imperial and (5) Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (CCBB). This choice was based mainly on the presence of fossiliferous stones, the historical and cultural importance of this heritage and the easy access to the public. The fossils were found in Lioz limestone [Rudistas (Radiolites and Caprinula) (Sites 1, 3, 4 and 5), Gastropods (Sogdianella, Turritella, Pchelinsevia and Neoptyxis) and the ichnogenus Thalassinoides (Site 4)], in the Rosso Ammonitico limestone [Ammonoid Hildoceras and a small undetermined gastropod (site 2)] and in the stromatolitic metalimestone (Site 3). Both Lioz limestone and Rosso Ammonitico are originated from Portugal and Italy, respectively, so the only Brazilian fossil content recorded here is the stromatolites in metalimestone used in CCBB. The dissemination of geodiversity, especially the fossil content, present in these spaces can promote the geoscientific education and the urban geotourism with paleontological approach, attracting a wide public.