≡Centennial chimney
One of Volta Redonda's oldest historical landmarks, the century-old chimney of the old sugar mill at Fazenda Santa Cecília dates back to 1903. Built by the then owner, Dr. José Rodrigues Peixoto, the structure was erected with the purpose of serving the production of sugar, rapaduras and sugar cane liquor, a common activity in the region before the industrialization promoted by the installation of Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN).
With handmade bricks and architectural grandeur typical of the mills of the time, the chimney survives the time as a symbol of the economic transition of the municipality — from an agricultural and rural base to an urban and industrial center. Located in an area that is now part of the Vila Santa Cecília neighborhood, the building holds not only historical but also emotional value, as it witnessed the birth of the city that would later become known as the Steel City.
Although it no longer functions as a sugar mill, the site attracts visitors and researchers interested in the memory of Volta Redonda's pre-industrial period. The area around the chimney, in turn, has been revitalized, allowing the population and tourists to get to know a fundamental part of the city's history up close.
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