The Army Command building (1811), City Hall, the Corps of Military Firefighters for Rio de Janeiro (state), the Rivadávia Correia municipal school, MEC radio station, and the churches of St. Mary and St. Gonçalo Garcia are also located in this area.

This part of the city also became the stage for several significant historical events, such as: the Acclamation of Emperor Dom Pedro I (1822), the Proclamation of the Republic (1889), and the Vaccine Revolt protests (1904).

The gardens of the Campo de Santana, a wide, tree-lined public promenade constructed at the beginning of the 20th century, is located on the opposite side of the plaza.

Reforms of this area, as part of a city-wide project, began again in 1873 and were completed in 1880 by French landscaper Auguste François Marie Glaziou.

Several species of animal are present in the Campo de Santana park, including: agoutis, cats, wild ducks and peacocks.