13-05-2012
Rio De Janeiro was discovered on the 1st of January 1502 by Portuguese explorers. Portuguese were the first ones to rule Rio as they landed on the soil of Guanabara Bay. The bay forms the opening of a river, hence the name ‘Rio de Janeiro’ which means ‘River of January’. The city was established in 1565 by the Portuguese. By the 17th century, mining exploration in Minas Gerais, helped Rio De Janeiro to become a port destination due to its proximity to the mines. When Napoleon invaded Portugal, the Royal family shifted to Rio and the city was under colonial rule till 1808. African slaves were imported in thousands to the city to help build infrastructure.
Today, the bustling city of Rio de Janeiro has been one of Brazil’s most popular and frequented tourist destinations for decades. Rio’s most tourist’s attractions are like Corcovado and Rio’s most famous land mark Christ the Redeemer one of the seven wonders of the modern World, and the location being one of the world’s most beautiful mountains and biggest cities.
Sugarloaf Mountain, rising to 396 m above the Atlantic Ocean harbor, is known worldwide for its cableway and panoramic views of the city and beyond. The mountain is one of several monolithic granite and quartz mountains that rise straight from the water’s edge around Rio de Janeiro. The mountain is protected by the Sugarloaf Mountain and Urca Hill.
Christ the Redeemer is an Art Deco statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, created by French people, constructed between 1922 and 1931, the statue is 30 metres high, excluding its 8-metre pedestal. The arms stretch 28 metres wide. The statue weighs 635 metric tons, and is located at the peak of the 700-metre Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro. A symbol of Christianity across the world, the statue has also become a cultural icon of both Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, and is listed as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
