Rio de Janeiro

Photo by Rachel C. Smith c2007

Christ the Redeemer Statue / Corcovado Mountian

The famous “Christ the Redeemer Statue” in Rio de Janeiro is one of the most recognized photo images from Brazil.  Over 300,000 people visit this statue each year.  The French donated the statue in honor of Brazil 100^th Anniversary of their Independence.  The statute itself is about 100 feet high and it sits on top of Corcovado Mountain which is about 2,400 feet high.  This is one the highest places in Rio and gives a marvelous panoramic view of Rio de Janeiro.  From the base of Christ the Redeemer Statue’s look out one can see just about all of the major tourist sites in Rio de Janeiro: Sugar Loaf Mountain, Guanabara Bay, Ipanema Beach (and most of the other beaches), Copacabana Beach, the Lagoon, the the Nitorói-Rio Bridge, and much more. 

            Off site links to photos of Christ the Redeemer Statueue

            http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodAtr=1503

Sugar Loaf Mountain

Sugar Loaf Mountain is one of the most beautiful photo opportunities in Rio de Janeiro.  There are two high, enormous boulders that are called Urca Hill and Sugar Loaf Mountain.  Urca Hill is 772 feet high (220 meters high) and is the shorter of the two.  The principal mountain is Sugar Loaf which is the highest at 1,319 feet (396 meters high) according to the official Sugar Loaf Mt Website.  There is a cable car that first takes you to Urca Hill and then another that takes you up to the top of Sugar Loaf.  A James Bond film was filmed at this sight and had Mr. Jaws jumping from one cable car to another while it was in motion.  From the top of Sugar Loaf one can see Copacabana Beach, Red Beach, Flamingo, downtown, Christ the Redeemer Statue, and Nitoroi,

Off site links to photos of Sugar Loaf and Urca Hill

Virtual tour with Panoramic Photos from Sugar Loaf and Urca Mountains (click on the arrows to see the views)  http://www.bondinho.com.br/passeio/passeious.html

Photo: http://www.bondinho.com.br/

Photo of Sugar Loaf Mountain http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodAtr=3896

Tijuca Rainforest

This rain forest was the master mind of King Dom Pedro II in 1861.  This rainforest is just a few miles from Rio de Janeiro.  This park goes from sea level to a height of 3315 feet (1020 meters).  It has 30 waterfalls and some 300 different plant species and up to  100 animal species.

Off site link to information & photos of the Tijuca Rainforest:  http://www.brazadv.com/brazil_tours/tijuca.asp

Ipanema Beach

This is another one of Rio de Janeiro’s famous beaches.  The famous Brazilian folk song "Girl from Ipanema” made this beach known in the USA and Great Britain.

Photo and history http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodAtr=1431

Copacabana Beach 

Copacabana Beach is famous for its beautiful wide sidewalk, its beautiful beach, and the beautiful 1930 style of buildings that line the boulevard.  One of the most beautiful buildings on this boulevard is the famous Copacabana Palace Hotel.  http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodAtr=14188

Rio de Janeiro was discovered on January 1^st, 1502 by Portuguese explorer Gaspar de Lemos.  When Gaspar de Lemos entered the bay, he thought he had found the mouth of a huge river; therefore, he called the name of that river “Rio de January” means “January River.”  The first people to settle the Rio de Janeiro area were the French.  These Frenchmen were harvesting Brazil wood trees, so they were not really settling the area.  In 1555, three French ships of settlers arrived in the Rio e Janeiro bay.  That bay is called Guanabara.  The French settled on a small island in the bay of Guanabara and called their settlement Antarctic France. In 1560, the Portuguese attacked the poorly equipped French and were able to expel them from the area. The Portuguese had problems with the native Tamonio Indians, but eventually they were able to drive the Tamoio Indians from the area as well. The  In 1567 the Portuguese set up a a fortified town (Castelo) on the hill now called "Morro Castelo. In 1763, the capitol of Brazil was moved from Salvador, Bahia to Rio de Janeiro.  Rio de Janeiro continued as the capitol of Brazil until 1960 when the city of Brasilia was being built and the capitol of Brazil moved there.

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most picturesque cities in Brazil with it’s 3,000 feet high mountains that drop right down to the coast line.  The bird eye views for Rio de Janeiro are incredible.  That is one of the reasons it is called the “Marvelous City.”  Crime is a very big problem in Rio de Janeiro and the police are out gunned by the drug lords.  So when one is in Rio de Janeiro, one should take the guided city tours, be aware of who is around them, and follow the safety guidelines of their Hotel or tour guides.  If a foreign tourist stays in the tourist areas, he should be alright.  The city of Rio de Janeiro does its best to make sure that the tourist areas are safe and enjoyable.

Biography

Noble, John,  Brazil (Melbourne, Australia: Lonely Planet Publications, 2002), p. 171-172.

The Southern Baptist Convention makes Rio de Janeiro their headquarters in Brazil.  It is one of their strong holds.  Across the bay from Rio de Janeiro is called Niteroi.  That city has a SBC [called CBB in Portugese] church that runs 5000+.

In 1990, Baptist Mid-Missions missionaries Neal and Alice Smith moved to Rio de Janeiro and were able to start some churches before they retired.  Today, BMM missionaries have started the following churches in the Metropolitan Rio e Janeiro area: Jacarepaguá, Ilha do Governador, Campo Comprido (started by BMM missionaries C. A. and Thelma Nichols), and a work on the Niteroi side of the bay. 

 

Information about other Brazilian Cities

São Paulo, SP.

Londrina, Paraná

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Links and Bibliography (these links are off of this website)

History of Rio de Janeiro http://www.macalester.edu/courses/GEOG61/chad/history.htm

Top places to visit in (Rio off this site):  http://gosouthamerica.about.com/od/brazgeog/tp/whattodo.htm

Top places to visit in Rio:  http://www.biosferabrasil.com/atracoes.php?cod_destino=6

Christ the Redeemer Statue:  http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodAtr=1503

http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodAtr=1966

Sugar Loaf Mountain:  http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodAtr=3896

Copacabana Palace Hotel: http://www.brazil4you.com/pontur/?CodAtr=1418

Tijuca Rainforest: http://www.brazadv.com/brazil_tours/tijuca.asp