Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil until 1960, and it is still country's main port. This city is really big and very populated, so the number of sights that our visitors can visit is significant. Due to its incredible geographical position, Rio is adorned not only with cultural institutions, monuments and churches, but also with numerous tourist attractions that are located on the surrounding hills, from where an incredible view of the city is offered. Browse our list of sights and get to know Rio de Janeiro.
Fort Copacabana was built in 1908, on the site where the Copacabana Chapel once stood. The chapel was demolished in order to build a fortress for the needs of the city's defense. Once a military institution, today the fortress is a cultural center where visitors are welcome. The view of Copacabana beach from the fortress is simply stunning and a great place to take a photo of the parks of Arpoador, Ipanema and Leblon. The highlight of the New Year's Eve in Rio is the fireworks that are set up along Forte de Copacabana.
The Candelaria Church or in full name The Basilica of Our Lady of Candelaria, is one of the most beautiful churches in Brazil, located in the center of Rio de Janeiro. Hundreds of tourists and locals visit it every day. How the church got its name has never been officially determined. Namely, the legend says that at the beginning of the 17th century, a storm almost sank a Spanish ship called Candelaria. The ship's captains, Martins Palma and Lenor Goncalves, promised that if they survived on land, they would build a monument in honor of the patron saint of Lady Candelaria. After surviving the storm, they fulfilled their promise and built a small chapel in Rio (1609).
The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading is a hidden gem in the city center. The library is visited by about 150-200 people a day, which is a small number considering the importance of this building, but also its incredible beauty and preservation. From the aspect of architecture, this is certainly one of the most beautiful places in Rio and definitely worth a visit. The library was founded in 1837, but official construction began in 1880. The Portuguese architect Rafael da Silva was in charge of the project.
Escadaria Selarón – Selaron Steps are known all over the world and adorn Rio de Janeiro. The steps are the work of the artist Jorge Selarón, who will forever be remembered as the artist who made or painted one of the most beautiful "monuments" in Rio. Jorge Selarón started the project in 1990, known as Rua Manuel Carneiro. It consists of 250 steps that end on the 125th metro. Jorge is a painter and sculptor originally from Chile who moved to Rio in 1983. Out of his own desire and discretion, he started with the renovation of the stairs in front of his apartment in Rio.
The full name of the park is Enrique Lage Park, and it is located at the foot of Concovado, in the city's Jardim Botanico district, i.e. the Botanical Garden. The park is named after the industrialist Enrique Lage, the former owner of the park, which covers an area of 52 hectares. Lage's wife was a famous singer. In the 1920s, at the urging of his wife Gabriella Besanzoni, Lage hired the Italian architect Mario Vodret to redecorate the summer house in the park. His style was completely different, mixing different trends of time, which was very much liked by the famous singer of lyrical music.
