Universidade do Brasil

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Universidade do Brasil was created on September 7th, 1920, by President Epitácio Pessoa, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, the then capital district of the Federal Republic. Initially it was named Universidade do Rio de Janeiro, until it was renamed Universidade do Brasil, on July 5th, 1937. On December 17, 1945, the University achieved the status of full autonomy under the Ministry of Education. In 1965 it was renamed to Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, according to the federal university system devised by the government of Humberto de Alencar Castelo Branco

On the occasion of its foundation in 1920, the University was formed by joining three independent higher learning schools:

• Faculdade de Medicina (Faculty of Medicine, the former Academia de Medicina e Cirurgia, which was created in 1808 by a decree of King D. João VI)
• Escola Politécnica (Polytechnic School, the former Escola Central)
• Faculdade Nacional de Direito (Law School)

To these, other units were gradually created an incorporated, such as the Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (National School of Fine Arts) and the Faculdade Nacional de Filosofia (National School of Philosophy).

A beautiful set of buildings of neoclassical design - originally constructed to be a sanatorium - was then set to lodge the new University, located at Avenida Pasteur, in the Flamengo section of the city, near the Praia Vermelha (Red Beach).