Three famous landmarks define Rio de Janeiro:
First, the large statue of Christ the Redeemer, which watches over one of Brazil's most famous cities from Corcovado Mountain and is featured in every documentary about the country.
Second, the famous sandy beach of Copacabana, where you can enjoy the sea and which provides the perfect backdrop for refreshing cocktails.
And finally, Sugarloaf Mountain, located on the Urca Peninsula, is a bell-shaped rock whose beautiful, round shape is reminiscent of a sugarloaf, thus contributing to the rock's name. What is the history of the rock and the famous cable car to Sugarloaf Mountain, which was once built by a German company?

Sugarloaf Mountain is only 395 meters high. That makes it not even particularly tall.

But its round shape has made it an unmistakable landmark of Rio de Janeiro. The small, rounded Sugarloaf Mountain is hundreds of millions of years old and is made of iron-like granite. Its rock once emerged from the Earth's interior as magma. From this, a rock formed, from which several outer layers peeled away like an onion, until finally a distinctively rounded, bell-shaped rock remained in the landscape, which still catches everyone's attention today and quickly became the subject of stories and myths: Sugarloaf Mountain. Its external appearance also contributed to the fact that Sugarloaf Mountain was long considered unclimbable.
Who could possibly climb such a rounded rock?
The Englishwoman Henrietta Carstairs finally succeeded. In 1817, Carstairs, a mountaineer and nanny, climbed Sugarloaf Mountain at the age of 39.
Carstairs then hoisted the Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, on its summit. With this action, the female mountaineer seriously offended the Portuguese colonial power that ruled Brazil. According to Brazilian legend, the following day, a patriotic Brazilian soldier climbed Sugarloaf Mountain and replaced the Union Jack with the Brazilian flag.

skr.de/brasilien-reisen/sehenswuerdigkeiten/zuckerhut

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Hiking Beast

January 8, 2023

The famous Sugar Loaf, of course you have to visit it and enjoy the view properly. In 1817 it was climbed for the first time. It is about 400m high.

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Roland

August 14, 2018

From the Sugar Loaf you have a nice view over Rio de Janeiro. A cable car leads to the Sugar Loaf, alternatively you can climb it on the footpath.

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Fitzcarraldo

October 22, 2020

It's best to buy the ticket for the cable car online beforehand - saves waiting time on site :)

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Ulrike

December 19, 2022

Rio de Janeiro, the most famous city in Brazil and one of the most famous in the world. The "most beautifully situated city in the world" between Copacabana and Sugar Loaf enchants its visitors with the unmistakable flair of sun, sand and samba. Hardly any other place is so fantastically surrounded by water and mountains as Rio de Janeiro. It is divided into two parts by a chain of hills. The southern zone stretches along the Atlantic coast with the famous neighborhoods of Ipanema and Copacabana. In the northern part are the historic old town and the modern business center. In 1960, Rio de Janeiro lost its status as the capital to the newly built Brasília. With around 6.7 million inhabitants, Rio de Janeiro is the second largest city in Brazil. It is idyllically situated in Guanabara Bay.

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Andi

April 1, 2024

From Praia Vermelha, visitors take the first tramway to Morro da Urca, and from there, a second tramway takes them to the summit of Morro do Pão de Açúcar, which stands 396 meters above sea level.

Various stories justify the name of this tourist spot; the most famous says that in the 16th and 18th centuries, at the height of sugarcane production, producers stored blocks of sugar in molds for export, and the object's resemblance to Sugarloaf Mountain gave rise to the name.

Opened in 1912, the Sugarloaf Cable Car was the first cable car in Brazil and the third in the world, connecting Morro da Urca to Morro do Pão de Açúcar. Since then, more than 40 million people have used the cable cars.
From the top of the two hills, you can see breathtaking views of the city, including Botafogo Bay, the Copacabana promenade, and the entrance to Guanabara Bay. In summer, the amphitheater at the top of Morro da Urca hosts shows and nighttime events that combine fun with beautiful views of the city lights.
Source: riotur.rio/que_fazer/paodeacucar

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Bear S.

March 28, 2024

Current gondola lift is from a Swiss company. The first gondola, which you can also see on site, was manufactured by a German company. A James Bond was filmed here.

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Andi

April 1, 2024

From Praia Vermelha, visitors take the first tram to Morro da Urca, and from there, a second tram takes them to the summit of Morro do Pão de Açúcar, which stands 396 meters above sea level.

Several stories justify the name of this tourist spot; the most famous says that in the 16th and 18th centuries, at the height of sugarcane production, producers stored blocks of sugar in molds for export, and the object's resemblance to Sugarloaf Mountain gave rise to the name.

Opened in 1912, the Sugarloaf Cable Car was the first cable car in Brazil and the third in the world, connecting Morro da Urca to Morro do Pão de Açúcar. Since then, more than 40 million people have used the cable cars.

From the top of the two hills, you can see breathtaking views of the city, including Botafogo Bay, the Copacabana promenade, and the entrance to Guanabara Bay. In summer, the amphitheater at the top of Morro da Urca hosts shows and nighttime events that combine fun with beautiful views of the city lights.
Source: riotur.rio/que_fazer/paodeacucar

Translated by Google •

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Elevation 190 m

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Location: Rio De Janeiro, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

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