Top 20 attractions in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is the splendor of bright colors and the eternal carnival, the ocean and the endless sun. The city is located on the shores of Guanabara Bay, and is one of the most beautiful in South America. Nature has generously endowed this area, the Brazilians believe that the Lord himself granted them such beautiful lands. It seems that the inhabitants of this city always have a holiday under the incessant sounds of samba.

Who has not dreamed of climbing to the top of Mount Corcovado and looking at Christ the Redeemer or plunging into the emerald waters of the Atlantic on the famous Copacabana? In Rio de Janeiro, dreams become reality. High spirits here are mixed with the expectation of danger coming from gloomy favelas, and slight dizziness from caipirinhas with gentle nights. All this is Rio.

What to see and where to go in Rio de Janeiro?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Statue of Christ the Redeemer

A huge 38-meter monument is the main and most recognizable symbol of Rio de Janeiro. It was installed in the first half of the 20th century on Mount Corcovado, which rises about 700 meters above the city. From the observation area of ​​the statue, a stunning view of the bay, indented by green hills, opens up. At any time of the year, an impressive line of tourists line up, wishing to climb to the statue of the outstretched hand of Christ the Redeemer.

sugar loaf

A mountain up to 400 meters high, which is located within Rio de Janeiro. Viewing platforms and a small park located on its top compete in popularity with the statue of Christ the Redeemer. You can climb Pao de Ascuar (that's the name in Portuguese) using a cable car. The name "Sugar Loaf" was given because of the similarity with a special container of the same name, in which the Portuguese carried sugar from Brazil.

Municipal theater

The theater was built at the very beginning of the 20th century and immediately became the decoration of Piazza Floriano. The architecture of the building clearly shows a mixture of styles - eclecticism. During construction, the building of the Paris Opera was taken as a model. Famous foreign groups often perform on the theater stage, the local choir, symphony orchestra and ballet troupe are no less popular.

Portuguese Royal Library

The luxurious building in the style of the Portuguese Manueline was erected in the period 1880-1887. The library was founded to promote the culture and values ​​of the metropolis in the territory of the Brazilian Empire. The foundation stone was laid by Emperor Pedro II. Many architectural elements of the building follow the outlines of the famous Portuguese palaces, monasteries and cathedrals.

Palace of Tiradentes

The building of the early XX century, erected for administrative purposes. It housed the Legislative Assembly. Previously, a prison was located on the site of the palace, where the national hero and fighter for the independence of Brazil, Joaquin Jose da Silva, died. The interior of the palace is decorated with paintings by Brazilian painters, French mosaics and carved wooden furniture in the Portuguese style.

Ilha-Fiskal Castle

The castle is located on an island in Guanabara Bay off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. It was built in 1889 for the needs of the Customs Service, but outwardly it looks more like a royal residence. Inside is the Historical Museum of the Brazilian Navy. The architecture of the castle used a mixture of styles. Decorative elements were brought from England, Germany and other European countries.

Selaron stairs

Multi-coloured 125-meter staircase, created by Chilean artist Jorge Selaron. The master has been creating step by step since 1990. Gradually, this small cultural project grew into an obsession, and eventually formed a long staircase. Several thousand tiles, brought from different countries and found in garbage cans, were used for facing the railings and steps.

Church of Candelaria

Once it was the largest and most magnificent temple of the Brazilian Empire. According to one version, it was founded by Spanish travelers in 1609 after they managed to avoid a terrible storm. Until the 18th century, it was a simple wooden chapel. Then a stone temple was erected in its place under the direction of F. Joao Rocio. The opening took place in 1811 in the presence of the Portuguese king João VI.

Cathedral of Saint Sebastian

The main Catholic temple of the Brazilian capital, which is located in the historic center of the city. The cathedral was opened in 1979, it was named in honor of the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro - Saint Sebastian. Outside, the temple resembles an Indian pyramid and at the same time a futuristic building from science fiction literature. In the underground part of the temple there is a museum and a crypt where famous personalities are buried.

Monastery of Saint Benedict

Benedictine monastery, founded at the end of the 16th century thanks to the intercession of local residents. The building of the monastery was erected in the Baroque style. The outer façade is distinguished by modesty of forms and a small number of decorative elements. The interior, on the contrary, is executed with special splendor - burgundy walls, multi-colored mosaic floors, gilded molding, an abundance of paintings and sculptures decorate the interior.

Botanical Garden of Rio de Janeiro

The garden occupies several hundred hectares of territory and is located in the southern part of the city. It was founded in 1808 at the behest of the royal family. Amazing exotic plants from all over the world were brought to the garden, which quickly adapted to local climatic conditions. At the moment, more than 7 thousand representatives of the fauna grow here. On the territory there are ponds, fountains, palm alleys and themed areas.

Flamengo Park

A large green area inside the city, on which the landscape designer R. Burle Marx worked (he also worked on the appearance of the Copacabana beach promenade). Various sports competitions are held on the territory of the park: bike rides, marathons and others. At any time of the day, you can see citizens doing sports or just relaxing on green lawns and benches.

Enrique Lage Park

The park is located at the foot of Corcovado on an area of ​​52 hectares. In the central part there is a charming mansion that once belonged to the family of the industrialist Enrique Lage. The park and the palace acquired their modern look in 1920 thanks to the work of the architect M. Vaudrel. The outer walls of the building are lined with Italian marble, specially delivered from across the ocean, the walls are decorated with works by Salvador Payalsa.

Aqueduct Carioca

The building is located in the picturesque suburb of Rio de Janeiro in the Santa Teresa area. The bridge was built right in the center of the city at the beginning of the 18th century. The construction was supervised by Portuguese military engineers. It was assumed that the Carioca aqueduct would be able to provide water to 3 settlements. The water supply was no longer used by the end of the 19th century, making it a bridge for urban transport. The aqueduct offers a rather picturesque view, which attracts many tourists.

Maracana Stadium

The main stadium of Brazil and the symbol of the "most football" country in the world. More than once, Maracanã has become an arena for grandiose sporting events. In 2016, the opening and closing of the XXXI Summer Olympic Games took place here. The stadium was built in the middle of the 20th century. At that time it was the largest football arena in the world. After the latest reconstruction, Maracana can accommodate up to 80,000 spectators.

Favelas

A group of urban slums that occupies an impressive part of Rio de Janeiro and gives the city authorities a lot of trouble. In fact, Brazilian favelas are a whole world, a separate and independent subculture and a “state within a state”. The inhabitants of these areas are practically autonomous. They almost do not pay for utilities, many trade in drug trafficking and other crimes.

Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon

A picturesque bay, which is connected to the Atlantic Ocean through a narrow channel. This is a popular place for city dwellers to relax. Families and large companies often come to the lagoon. Unfortunately, the water in the bay is not clean, but you can safely use the developed infrastructure on the shore, go boating or play beach volleyball. Rodrigo de Freitas has free gyms and playgrounds.

Copacabana beach

City beach of Rio de Janeiro, stretching for 4 km. along the coast. From 50-60 years. elite residential areas began to be built here, the place began to be popular with European bohemia. Avenida Atlantica stretches along the beach. Millions of Brazilians and tourists visit Copacabana every year, and many public holidays are held on the beach, including New Year's celebrations.

Ipanema beach

Another famous beach of Rio de Janeiro surrounded by prestigious areas. Ipanema is adjacent to Copacabana, but is considered safer than the latter, as it is further from the slum area. Despite the large number of visitors, the water here is considered clean (depending on the season). There are also fewer ocean waves in the Ipanema area, so families with children and older people prefer it.

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

An annual holiday, a real extravaganza of colors, feelings, rhythm and all the joys of life. The Brazilian carnival has long been considered an intangible heritage of mankind. Thousands of professionals from various samba schools organize a procession at the sambadrome, a street with stands specially designed for such events. Dancers compete in skill, beauty of costumes and scale of scenery.