One of the main postcards of the Rio de Janeiro , the Pão de Açúcar cable car completes 110 years this Thursday (27). Since its opening, more than 50 million people have visited the attraction, which has been the setting for Hollywood movies.
The idea of connecting Praia Vermelha and the Urca and Pão de Açúcar hills by means of a cable car came from the engineer Augusto Ramos in 1908, when Rio de Janeiro celebrated the centenary of the opening of the Carioca ports by Dom João 6º.
The inauguration took place four years later, in 1912, at a time when there were only two other cable cars in the world – one in Spain and the other in Switzerland.
“We are the oldest cable car in operation in the world, but we have a vision of the future and we continue to innovate”, said Sandro Fernandes, CEO of Parque Bondinho Pão de Açúcar.
To celebrate the 110th anniversary of the attraction, there will be a birthday cake and buttons distributed to visitors this Thursday (27), in addition to different experiences for visitors, such as a space to make slow motion videos, on a 360° platform. . Children will be able to enjoy musical theater, workshops and games.
Bondinho will also receive a song as a gift, composed by Roberto Menescal, one of the icons of Bossa Nova, in partnership with singer Cris Delanno and Alex Moreira. And those who have a birthday on the same day as the cable car can visit the attraction for free this Thursday.
The 110th anniversary program continues for the next few months. In November, the park will launch an immersive exhibit called “Time Capsule” featuring milestones in the park’s history. In 2023, the inauguration of a zip line between the Urca and Pão de Açúcar hills is planned.
On Friday (28), still in a celebratory mood, Morro da Urca will host a concert by singer Maria Rita to celebrate the park’s 110th anniversary. The event, which is open to the public, will also feature the presentation of Samba de Santa Clara, in addition to DJs Beto Chuquer, Nepal, Rafa M, Tommax and the SunriseSet by John Failly and Marie Bouret. Tickets, worth R$110, can be purchased at Ingresse.com.
Curiosities
- The Cable Car is located in an environmental conservation area of the Atlantic Forest and has two sections. The first, which connects Praia Vermelha to Morro da Urca, is 528 meters long and 227 meters high. The second, between the Urca and Pão de Açúcar hills, is 750 meters high, at 396 meters above sea level.
- The park was once the scene of a landmark fight in the 1979 movie “007 vs. the Rocket of Death”, in which James Bond defeats the villain Steel Teeth.
- Morro da Urca hosted Cazuza’s first solo show, after the singer from the band Barão Vermelho left.
- In 1925, the park was visited by physicist Albert Einstein
- The North American tightrope walker Steven McPeak made the journey between the Urca hills and Sugarloaf Mountain, walking along the cable car cables, in 1977. In 2008, the German tightrope walker Falko Traber repeated the feat.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
