March 19, 2025

There are amazing sights that one would want to see in Rio de Janeiro including one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The only way to try and accomplish that task is to break your mission into two days. With traffic it can be a daunting task, imagine visiting the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Memorial, St. Patrick’s Cathedral in NYC in one day. With 10-12 hours planned per day we set off on our mission.

The first place to visit in Rio de Janeiro is Sugarloaf Mountain. This sight has a long history, dating back to the 16th century when Portuguese sailors made use of it as a navigational marker. It evolved into a revered icon symbolizing Rio de Janeiro’s natural beauty and resilience. The name “Sugarloaf” originated from its unique shape, resembling the sugar boxes used for export due to Brazil’s extensive sugarcane production. The mountain is made of granite rock and after taking two cable cars to its top it offers unprecedented views of the city.

Christ the Redeemer, one of the 7 Wonders of the World is a statue of Jesus Christ at the summit of Mount Corcovado. The statue was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet tall, its horizontally outstretched arms span 92 feet. The statue has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the country of Brazil.

When we told our daughter, Erin, that we were going to Christ the Redeemer she set us these amazing photos. Also, an architect on board, Timm is an excellent artist and shared with me this sketch he drew of the statue.

The Cathedral of St. Sebastin was built between 1964 and 1979. The architect, Edgar Fonseca, wanted the design to recall Mayan pyramids. When you enter, you are immediately drawn to the four massive stained glass windows running floor to ceiling. They cast colored patterns on the floor on a sunny day. We had a sunny day. The patterns shifted with the moving clouds.

The Royal Portuguese Cabinet of Reading is a library and cultural institution, in the center of the city. It is listed by the State Institute of Cultural Heritage. Elected the fourth most beautiful library in the world by Time magazine, the Cabinet has the largest collection of Portuguese literature outside of Portugal. There are over 350,000 volumes! I discovered one of my long-lost relatives used to be the librarian.

Thanks for traveling with us.