Botafogo

Botafogo Bay, with its exuberant view of Sugarloaf Mountain, is the symbol of this middle class neighborhood in Rio’s South Zone. In addition to its early 20th century mansions, the neighborhood also has a large number of movie theaters, theaters, shopping centers, bars, museums, business centers, consulates, clinics and hospitals. It is currently one of the most important service centers in the Carioca Zona Sul. Worth mentioning are the Plazza Shopping, the Vila Lobos Museum, the Indian Museum and the House of Rui Barbosa.

The area between São Clemente, Sorocaba and Guilhermina Guinle streets makes up the most upscale area in this neighborhood, with many trees and a residential profile. Botafogo’s excellent geographical location, with easy access to all points in the South Zone, attracted many real estate projects in recent years.

The presence of the Dona Marta favela demonstrates the social contrast between the hillside and the city below. However, today this favela is peaceful, with a Police Pacification Unit , and investment is growing, seeking to integrate the favela into the neighborhood.

There are several well preserved colonial mansions on São Clemente Street. São João Batista Cemetery was inaugurated in 1852; this was a watershed in the history of Rio de Janeiro as it was the first to not differentiate between social classes. Countless well known Brazilians are buried there, like Tom Jobim, Carmen Miranda, Roberto Marinho, Machado de Assis, Santos Dumondt, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Zuzu Angel.

Related Issues:

• Other neighborhoods in South Zone
• Other areas of Rio de Janeiro