13. Cristo’s Hand / Mão do Cristo / Hand van Cristo
OCTOBER 2007: Cristo’s Hand
The statue of Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro is considered as one of the seven world wonders. It is very hard to take a good picture of the enormous statue. Many tourists may have experienced that. The sun above the statue sometimes can be a disturbing factor. At other moments, you can have bad luck, when low, dense clouds cover the statue. One time, when I visited Cristo Redentor in January 2007, I had this experience. On this October day, it was very sunny, with few clouds. Many tourists took dozens of pictures. There were many foreign tourists; once and a while, my ears caught some Dutch words. But there were too many tourists to identify the Dutch-speaking tourist. Almost everyone took the same kind of picture, showing oneself together with the statue. Most of them took a standardized pose, others tried to be funny. Unfortunately, some disrespectful individuals made obscene gestures in front of the lens. I took the opportunity of the beautiful weather, and took various pictures of the entire statue, as well as some detailed pictures of the hands, for instance. When I was taking a picture of the right hand, a dove suddenly appeared.
OUTUBRO 2007: Mão do Cristo
. (tradução em breve).
…
OKTOBER 2007: Hand van Cristo
Het standbeeld van Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro wordt beschouwd als een van de zeven wereldwonderen. Het is niet eenvoudig een het immense standbeeld goed in beeld te krijgen. Menig toerist heeft dit wellicht ervaren. De zon boven het standbeeld kan een storende factor zijn. Soms heb je de pech dat het beeld door lage, dichte wolken aan het zicht is onttrokken, zoals het mij eens overkwam in januari 2007. Ditmaal was het een prachtig zonnige dag, met een paar kleine wolken aan de blauwe hemel. Vele toeristen namen tientallen foto’s. Er waren veel buitenlandse toeristen, en soms ving ik enkele Nederlandse woorden op. Maar de toeristenmassa liet me niet toe deze sprekers te identificeren. Iedereen wilde met dit wereldwonder op de foto. Vaak in een alledaagse pose, anderen probeerden grappig te zijn. Helaas maakten sommigen respectloze, obscene gebaren voor de cameralens. Ik profiteered van het zonnige weer en maakte vele foto’s van het beeld. Naast de gebruikelijke totaalbeelden van het standbeeld, maakte ik ook meer gedetailleerde opnamen. Zo ook van de handen .Toen ik een foto van de rechterhand maakte, vloog een duif in beeld. Met als resultaat een aparte compositie…
Dia do Carteiro (Postman)
Dia dos Telégrafos (Telegraph)
BRAZILIAN HISTORY:
1554 Foundation of the city of São Paulo.
1835 Start of the Malês Revolt in Salvador (BA)
1903 Surrender of the Bolivians to Plácido de Castro in Puerto Acre
1917 Birth of Jânio da Silva Quadros, President of Brazil in 1961
1934 Creation of USP (University of São Paulo) by the governor of São Paulo, Salles de Oliveira
1944 Installation of the Government of Território Federal (Federal Territory) of Amapá
1663 Creation of Correios (postal service) in Brazil
1956 Construction of a replica of Cristo Redentor in Taubaté
1954 The Sé Cathedral in São Paulo inaugurated by arch bishop D. Carmelo de Vasconcelos.
1958 Installation of the first nuclear reactor in Latin America, at Universidade de São Paulo
1961 Creation of Universidade Federal de Alagoas
1969 Carlos Lamarca robbed arms and munition at Quitaúna barracks.
1971 Inauguration of the sublimate Presidente Artur da Costa e Silva (Minhocão), in São Paulo
1984 Demonstration ‘Diretas Já’ at Praça da Sé in São Paulo.
2003 Death of Maria Geracina Franco, the first woman who received a heart transplant in Brazil Continue Reading
DAY OF:
Dia da Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Our Lady of Apparition, patron saint of Brazil).
Dia da Criança (Brazilian Children’s Day).
Dia do Mar (Sea).
Dia do Descobrimento da América (Discovery of America).
Dia de Cristóvão Colombo (Christopher Columbus).
Dia da Hispanidade (Spanish Identity).
Dia da Raça das Américas (American Race).
Dia do Basquete (Basketball).
Dia Nacional do Engenheiro Agrônomo (Brazilian Day of the Agronomist).
BRAZILIAN HISTORY:
1931 Inauguration of the Cristo Redentor statue in Rio de Janeiro.
1965 Inauguration of Aterro do Flamengo Park in Rio de Janeiro.
1909 Foundation of Coritiba Foot Ball Club.
1808 Creation of Banco do Brasil.
1822 Official declaration of Brazilian independence; Dom Pedro proclaimed as emperor Pedro I
1798 Birth of Dom Pedro I (1798-1834).
1835 Diogo Antônio Feijó (1784-1843) appointed as regent of the Brazilian Empire. Continue Reading
DAY OF:
Dia da Nossa Senhora Aparecida (Our Lady of Apparition, patron saint of Brazil).
Dia da Criança (Brazilian Children’s Day).
Dia do Mar (Sea).
Dia do Descobrimento da América (Discovery of America).
Dia de Cristóvão Colombo (Christopher Columbus).
Dia da Hispanidade (Spanish Identity).
Dia da Raça das Américas (American Race).
Dia do Basquete (Basketball).
Dia Nacional do Engenheiro Agrônomo (Brazilian Day of the Agronomist).
BRAZILIAN HISTORY:
1931 Inauguration of the Cristo Redentor statue in Rio de Janeiro.
1965 Inauguration of Aterro do Flamengo Park in Rio de Janeiro.
1909 Foundation of Coritiba Foot Ball Club.
1808 Creation of Banco do Brasil.
1822 Official declaration of Brazilian independence; Dom Pedro proclaimed as emperor Pedro I
1798 Birth of Dom Pedro I (1798-1834).
1835 Diogo Antônio Feijó (1784-1843) appointed as regent of the Brazilian Empire. Continue Reading
(Our Lady of Apparition).We go back to 1717, when the rivers were still clean enough to contain large amounts of fish. Fishermen Domingos Garcia, Felipe Pedroso and João Alves caught a remarkable object in their nets in thie Paraíba River (state of São Paulo). It was a dark, headless statue. Their second catch was the missing head. The two pieces were parts of the statue of Nossa Senhora Aparecida. Their third and forth catches were suddenly rich in fish. Fifteen years long, Pedroso kept the statue in his hous. Already some pilgrims visited him. A chapel was built, and a little more than a century later, in 1834, the so-called Basílica Velha. In 1929, Nossa Senhora Aparecida was declared Queen and patron saint of Brazil, by Pope Pius XI. In 1955, due to the increasing number of pilgrims, the construction of Basílica Nova (by architect Benedito Calixto de Jesus Neto), which is only a bit smaller (a cross shape of 173 x 168 meters) than Saint Peter in Rome. At present, more than seven million prilgrims visit the Basílica.
Some miracles are considered to be related to the statue:
A burning candle that did not extinguish. The spontaneous opening chains that liberated a slave. An infidel horseman who did not manage to force his horse to enter the chapel. A blind girl who instantly was able to see the Basílica. A young boy who could not swim, but was kept above the water surface in the rapids. A prayer of a hunter that made a jaguar run.
At noon, fireworks will be ignited throughout Brazil. It is believed that the statue was brought to the surface at this time.
NOSSA SENHORA APARECIDA
O encontro da imagem de Nossa Senhora Aparecida
Aparecida O Milagre, Filme Nacional baseado em fatos reais
12 de Outubro – Dia de Nossa Senhora Aparecida
Consagração Solene a Nossa Senhora Aparecida dia 12 de outubro
Dia da Criança
(Child). Dia da Crianças is, next to Christmas, Easter and Independence Day, one of the most important Brazilian feast days. The idea for ‘Dia da Criança’ was introduced by federal congressman Galdino do Valle Filho, early twenties of the past century. On 5 November 1924, president Arthur Bernardes issued the decree (No. 4867) that ‘Dia da Criança’ should be held on 12 October. In the same year, the first worldwide Declaration of Child’s Rights (World Child Welfare Charter) was formulated and ratified by more than fifty nations of the League of Nations:
The child must be given the means requisite for its normal development, both materially and spiritually;
The child that is hungry must be fed; the child that is sick must be nursed; the child that is backward must be helped; the delinquent child must be reclaimed; and the orphan and the waif must be sheltered and succored;
The child must be the first to receive relief in times of distress;
The child must be put in a position to earn a livelihood, and must be protected against every form of exploitation;
The child must be brought up in the consciousness that its talents must be devoted to the service of fellow men. The Dia da Criança as Brazilians know now, only exists since 1960. In that year, commercial manager Eber Alfred Goldberg of toy factory Estrela, in cooperation with Johnson & Johnson, introduced the ‘week of the healthy baby’ (“Semana do Bebê Robusto”), with the intention to generate a significant boost upon sales numbers of toys. At present, shopping days prior to Dia da Criança provide such a turnover, which is only exceeded by the period prior to Christmas.
As crianças são o ornamento da vida neste mundo.
Textos Islâmicos
DIA DA CRIANÇA
Parada Dia da Criança do SBT 1988 Parte I
Parada Dia da Criança do SBT 1988 Parte II
1.11 – Parada do Dia das Crianças – Festival SBT 30 Anos 14-05-2011
História da programação infantil do SBT
Jornal Futura Reportagem Dia das Crianças
Rede Globo Tv Integração -Especial Tv Globinho dia das crianças 2010
Dia do Mar
(Sea).Seas and oceans have played significant roles in world history. The Romans, who had control of the Mediterranean Sea (Mare Nostrum: Our Sea). The Spanish and Portuguese Empires, who divided the New World between themselves, through the Treaty of Tordesilhas. The South Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean for the Portuguese, The North Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean for the Spanish. In the 17th century, a Dutch lawyer Hugo Grotius (Hugo de Groot: 1583-1645) published his book ‘Mare Liberum‘ (1608), in which he stated that territorial water should not extend more than a few miles from the shoreline. The rest of the oceans should be considered as international territory.
MARE LIBERUM
Mare nostrum, mare clausum, mare liberum
Mare Liberum 1609-2009 Hugo de Groot – recht op zee
Dia do Descobrimento da América
(Discovery of America). Almost everyone knows that Columbus discovered America in 1492, but who knows the exact date? It was on 12 October. The Genoese discoverer Cristóvão Colombo had the plan to find a shorter route to the Indies, by sailing westward. In Genua, he was considered to be mad. In Portugal, his plans were rejected, but he had success in Spain. On 3 August 1492, Colombo departed with three caravels: Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria. The American continent was reached on 12 October, the island was named San Salvador (Holy Savior). The cartographic work and detailed reports by Amérigo Vespucci were honored by naming the newly discovered continent after the famous navigator.
DISCOVERY OF AMERICA
1492 Conquest of Paradise (1992)
The discovery of America (spanish close captioned)
Dia de Cristóvão Colombo
(Christopher Columbus). Hard to miss… The discoverer of America. A man who created a turning point in world history with his ideas. What kind of world would have been, if Genoa or Portugal had accepted his ideas or proposals? It was Spain who claimed the American continent first. Columbus (1451-1506) has become an important personality in human history, with a number of mysteries and controversies. From hero to villain, from very rich to very poor. Only recently, one of the mysteries was solved: the exact location of his remains is in Sevilla.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
All About Christopher Columbus
AHC ~ Christopher Columbus ~ Full video
Dia da Hispanidade
(Spanish Identity). This day is celebrated predominantly in the Spanish-speaking countries in Central and Southern America. The day is also mentioned on the Brazilian calendar, but there are no celebrations.
HISPANIDAD
12 de Octubre, Dia de la Hispanidad
12 Octubre día de la Hispanidad
las hispanidad en el mundo/Hispanic in the world.
12 DE OCTUBRE DIA DE LA RAZA EXTINGUIDA
Dia da Raça das Américas
(American Race). With the arrival of Spanish discoverers, followed by Spanish colonists and expeditions, the decline of the established tribes and empires of ‘indians’ on the American continent was started. The highly developed civilizations of Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs were destroyed completely. Even now, the aboriginal people are not completely respected…
RAÇA AMERICANA
500 Nations The Story of Native Americans – 1
500 Nations The Story of Native Americans – 2
500 Nations The Story of Native Americans – 3
500 Nations The Story of Native Americans – 4
America Before Columbus
Dia do Basquete
(Basketball). In the long winter of 1891, Canadian professor James Naismith wrote the basic rules of basketball. This was requested by school manager Luther Halsey Gullick, in the American state of Massachusetts. The first college match was held on 11 March 1892. Brazilwas one of the first countries outside the United States, where basketball was introduced. Augusto Shaw studied at Yale University in 1892, when he got acquainted with basketball for the first time. In 1895, he received an invitation of Colégio Kennedy (São Paulo) , to give lectures. He brought his study books and a basketball to Brazil. Obviously, the basketball game was almost immediately accepted by women, while men had some doubts about it. They were more interested in soccer. In 1992, the Brazilian national team played their first match, at the day of the centenary of Brazilian independence.
BASKETBALL
Globo Esporte – Dia do Basquete
Sports History: Basketball
James Naismith’s Founding Rules of Basketball
Harlem Globetrotters Best Tricks
Dia Nacional do Engenheiro Agrônomo
(Agronomist). Decree 23.196 came into effect in 1933. In this decree, the profession of agronomist was described, as one of the first professions in Brazil that is described by law. In order to work as an agronomist, graduates are obliged to register themselves at the Conselhos Regionais de Engenharia, Arquitetura e Agronomia ( CREA: regional councils for engineers, architects, and agronomists). The first practical program dates back from 1812. The first engineering program was opened in 1877: Imperial Escola Agrícola da Bahia.
AGRÔNOMO
Dia do Engenheiro Agrônomo
|Curiosidades| Engenheiro Agrônomo Profissão
Faz o Quê? – Agronomia – Bloco I
Faz o Quê? – Agronomia – Bloco II
Faz o Quê? – Agronomia – Bloco III
Faz o Quê? – Agronomia – Bloco IV
BRAZILIAN HISTORY:
1931 Inauguration of the Cristo Redentor statue in Rio de Janeiro.
On seven-seven-seven, Cristo Redentor was proclaimed as one of the seven modern world wonders. The statue is located on top of the Corcovado Mountain. Already in 1859, there was an idea to create a religious monument on top of the Corcovado. In 1885, the railway to the top of the Corcovado was completed. The railway was suitable for the transport of construction materials and – at a later time – tourists. In 1921, there was a serious proposal to construct Cristo Redentor. It was intended to have its inauguration on the day of the centenary of Brazilian independence, on 7 September 1922. On 4 April 1922, the cornerstone was placed. In 1923, engineer Heitor da Silva Costa won the design contest. During the Week of the Monument, money was collected. In 1926, the construction of Cristo Redentor was started. The final touches were performed by Carlos Oswald and the French artist Paul Landowski. Italian scientist Guglielmo Marconi was invited to inaugurate the illumination. From his yacht in Naples, he sent an electric signal that was transferred through England to Rio. Unfortunately, bad weather conditions made this attempt unsuccessful. In 1980, the monument underwent rigorous restoration, while more touristic facilities were implemented in 2000.
CRISTO REDENTOR
Estatua do Cristo Redentor 1
Estatua do Cristo Redentor 2
Estatua do Cristo Redentor 3
Estatua do Cristo Redentor 4
Cristo Redentor, Corcovado no Rio – Projeto e Construção, Parte 1
Cristo Redentor, Corcovado no Rio – Projeto e Construção, Parte 2
Cristo Redentor, Corcovado no Rio – Projeto e Construção, Parte 3
Cristo Redentor no Rio completa 80 anos • 12/10/2011
1965 Inauguration of Aterro do Flamengo Park in Rio de Janeiro.
The official name of the park is Parque Brigadeiro Eduardo Gomes. The park provides excellent viewson Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf) and Corcovado. The 100 hectare park contains areas for playing soccer, skating, and flying with model airplanes. There is ample space for playgrounds and theater plays. Inside the park, one may find restaurants, kiosks, and two museums: Marina da Glória and Museu de Arte Moderna
ATERRO DO FLAMENGO
História do Aterro do Flamengo
Primeiro dia da Rio+20 no Aterro do Flamengo – Jornal Rio Carioca
FLY AEROMODELOS – Voo no Aterro do Flamengo
dia mundial sem carro. aterro do flamengo dia 18 09 11. rede globo
1909 Foundation of Coritiba Foot Ball Club.
Coritiba is the oldest soccer club of Curitiba, and of the state of Paraná. The foundation of Coritiba was an initiative of Frederico Essenfelder, nicknamed Fritz, who was member of Clube Ginástico Teuto-Brasileiro, and who introduced the soccer game from Rio Grande do Sul. Two weeks later, the newly founded team played its first match against a selection of English railroad workers. Best achievement of Coritiba is the Brazilian Championship in 1985. Mascot of the Coritiba is Vovô (opa) Coxa, since the club is the oldest in the state of Paraná.
Documentáiro – Coritiba 100 anos de glórias, 100 anos de história
Coritiba 101 anos de Glória e História
HISTÓRIA DO CORITIBA
Final do Campeonato Brasileiro 1985 – HQ – COXA CAMPEAO DE 1985 – Coritiba x Bangu
1808 Creation of Banco do Brasil.
In 1808, when Portuguese king Dom João VI arrived in Brazil, he founded the Banco do Brasil. The bank had the task to issue and distribute money. In 1926, the first bank office was opened in Rio de Janeiro, followed by the first office in São Paulo in 1927. Both locations are now cultural centers of the bank. At present, Banco de Brasil has more van 25 million bank accounts, and is one of the largest banks in Brazil.
Trabalhadores nos 200 anos do BB – 12/10/2008 (atualizado)
Passeio Virtual – Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil
1822 Official declaration of Brazilian independence; Dom Pedro proclaimed as emperor Pedro I
This declaration of independence followed the action of Dom Pedro on 7 September 1822, when he declared the Brazilian independence in Ipiranga (SP). Pedro I was crowned as emperor on 1 December 1822.
BRAZILIAN INDEPENDENCE
Fantástico – Independência do Brasil – parte 01
Fantástico – Independência do Brasil – parte 02
1798 Birth of Dom Pedro I (1798-1834).
Pedro de Alcântara Francisco Antônio João Carlos Xavier de Paula Miguel Rafael Joaquim José Gonzaga Pascoal Cipriano Serafim de Bragança e Bourbon was born in Queluz Palace in Lisbon. Thirty-six years later, he died there. In 1801, Pedro was declared crown prince of Portugal. At the age of nine, he – together with his family and the Court – departed for Brazil, where he spent his childhood. Pedro tuned out to be a rebellious boy who did not behave like a crown prince at all. His bohemian lifestyle resulted in five children and thirteen bastard children. In 1822, Pedro proclaimed the independence of Brazil; at the age of 24, he was crowned as emperor of Brazil. After the death of his father, Dom João VI, Pedro was king of Portugal for a few months. His daughter Maria succeeded him. In 1831, Pedro abdicated, and was succeeded by his son Pedro. Pedro I returned to Portugal for treatment of TB.
DOM PEDRO I
Dom Pedro I – Série “Construtores do Brasil” – TV Câmara
Emperor Pedro I of Brazil
O Reporte da História – Dom Pedro I
pedro I emperador del brasil
1835 Diogo Antônio Feijó (1784-1843) appointed as regent of the Brazilian Empire.
Padre Diogo already had had a number of political and public positions, before he was appointed as Minister of Justice, after the abdication of emperor Dom Pedro I, in 1831. He quickly stepped down, due to a political disagreement. In 1833, Padre Diogo was appointed as senator of the state of Rio de Janeiro. In 1835, he became Regente Único do Reino, until 1837. Padre Diogo then had a number of positions, among which the coronation of emperor Dom Pedro II. His participation in the 1842 Liberal Revolution resulted in imprisonment for some months.
Brazil´s former capital Rio de Janeiro attracts many tourists from Brazil and all over the world to visit its past and its present: the glorious monuments remembering the Colonial and Imperial Period, the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, the carnaval, and the samba.
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro that was formed after the merger of the states of Guanabara and Rio de Janeiro in 1975. The city is with its 6.1 million inhabitants (IBGE, 2009), the second-largest of Brazil, after São Paulo. The metropolitan area counts about 12.4 million people. The city is situated between sea level and an altitude of 380 meter, and counts 1182 square kilometers. The human development index of Rio de Janeiro is 0.842 (PNAD/IBGE, 2000). Rio is often called ‘Cidade Maravilhosa’, the Marvelous City.
Sunset at Ipanema Beach
History
On the first day of 1502, the Portuguese expedition commanded by Gaspar de Lemos arrived in the Guanabara Bay. Since he mistakenly was thinking that the bay was the mouth of a river, he baptized the location Rio de Janeiro. By that time the area was inhabited by the Tupi, Maxakalí, Botocudo, and Puri indian tribes. In 1555, A French expedition commanded by Nicolas Durand de Villegagnon, landed on a small island in the Guanabara Bay and founded the French colony Antarctique Française, French Antartica, Forte Coligny, and the city Henriville.
A Portuguese military expedition commanded by Estácio de Sá ousted the French, and founded the city of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro on March 1, 1565. This date is considered as the founding date of the city. Until early 18th century the city had to endure various attacks from mainly French and Dutch pirates and buccaneers. Bandeirantes (pioneers) exploring more land inward, discovered precious metals and stones, that made Rio a more practical port to export the wealthy goods. For that reason, the capital from colonial Brazil changed from Salvador to Rio de Janeiro in 1763.
In 1807, when the French emperor Napoleon invaded Spain and threatened to invade Portugal, the entire Portuguese Royal Family moved to Brazil, escorted by the British navy. Crown prince Dom João VI, who was governing the Portuguese kingdom as a regent for his insane mother, elevated Brazil as a kingdom in 1815, and Rio became capital of it. In 1821, Dom João and most of his family returned to Portugal. His oldest son, Dom Pedro stayed and later refused to leave Brazil. He declared Brazil independent, Rio became the capital of the Brazilian empire. When Brazil became a republic in 1889, Rio continued as capital. In 1960, Rio lost its status of Brazil’s capital to the newly-built city: Brasília. Rio will become capital of World Soccer in 2014 and of the Olympic Movement in 2016.
Economic activity
Economically, Rio de Janeiro is the second largest of Brazil, after São Paulo, providing a little more than five percent of the nation’s GDP. Services account for 66 percent, tax collection for 23 %, and industrial activity for 11 %. In the recent years, the economy leading heavily on industries as shipbuilding, metallurgy, oil refinery, has transformed to an economy that focuses more on businesses and services. The city hosts headquarters of many large Brazilian and international multinationals, such as Petrobrás, Vale, Embratel, Coca Cola, IBM, and Shell. Rio is the 2nd richest city in Brazil, and the 30th richest in the world.
One of the seven wonders of the modern
world: Christ the Redeemer
What to see
Many tourists visit Rio for its famous and abundant Carnival festivities. Samba schools compete with each other during the parades at the Sambódromo Marquês de Sapucaí. Outside the Sambódromo, one can enjoy the Carnival on the streets, where many so-called blocos (carnival percussion groups) have their parades, followed by a huge crowd of dancing and partying people. When searching for some rest, one may visit the world famous beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Barra de Tijuca, that are lining the Atlantic Ocean. Inward the Guanabara Bay, one may go to the beaches of Botafogo and Flamengo. Speaking of Flamengo, the soccer team plays its games in the giant Maracanã soccer stadium. The team of Botafogo plays in the Engenhão, also known as Estádio João Havelange, where the 2016 Olympic Games will start.
To have an encounter with the rich past of Rio, the historic center is worth visiting. The narrow alleys, the cozy restaurants and bars, as in Arco do Teles. Praça XV de Novembro exhibits an important party of the history with the Paço Imperial, the statues of Dom João VI and General Osório, war hero of the Paraguayan War. Close to this square is Palácio Tiradentes: a palace in the typical eclectic style where Brazilian freedom fighter Tiradentes was imprisoned for three years before condemned to death by hanging.
Rio also has various churches, like the Igreja da Candelária, Igreja da NS do Carmo, Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo, and the modern Catedral São Sebastião, also called the Metropolitan Cathedral. This huge conic structure is close to the Lapa District, where one may find an interesting mix of bars and nightclubs, representing samba, hip hop, reggae, and electronic music styles. In the center of Lapa is a ceramic stairway, consisting of tiles from all corners of the world. towards the Santa Tereza District, the Escada de Selarón, named after the Chilean artist. Instead of climbing the stairs, one may take the antique tram to Santa Tereza, that runs over the arcs of the aqueduct of Lapa. Speaking of climbing, there are two interesting options. One is the cable car to Pão de Açúcar, the Sugarloaf Rock. From there one may enjoy breathtaking views of the entire Guanabara bay and a major part of the city. The second option is the climb of the world famous Corcovado, with the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) on top of it. The climb can be made by train, van or even walking. From the 710 meter high mountain one has an unforgettable view of entire Rio de Janeiro.
Rio is also known for its cultural richness and diversity. The city hosts many museums and cultural centers. Museums that exhibit the history of Rio, contemporary artworks, the indigenous tribes, the naval history (with a boat tour along the entire Guanabara Bay), the history of carnival. Museums of interest are Museu de Belas Artes, Museu de Arte Moderna, the museums within the fortresses of Copacabana, Leme, and São João (Urca). The National Monument (near Flamengo Beach) hosts the war graves of the Brazilian Expedition Force.
Cultural centers of interest are the monumental Theatro Municipal, the cultural centers of Caixa, Banco do Brasil, and Correios.
The beauty of nature can be encountered in the well-known Botanical Garden, founded shortly after the arrival of the Portuguese Royal Family, with its static imperial palm trees, the Japanese garden, and a variety of Brazilian vegetation types. Rio boasts to have the world’s largest urban park within its city limits: the Tijuca park, in which the Corcovado Mountain is situated.
Outside Rio de Janeiro, the imperial city of Petrópolis, the historical city of Paraty, and the beach resorts of Angra dos Reis, Ilha Grande, Búzios, and Cabo Frio are most visited.
