Rio de Janeiro awarded World Heritage Site status

Rio de Janeiro has been named a World Heritage Site by Unesco, in the cultural category. The city was nominated in 2009, by the National Institute for Artistic and Historical Heritage (Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional – Iphan). It has finally been approved during the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee, in St Petersburg, Russia.

The title was awarded in recognition of the harmony between urban development and natural scenery in Rio, a relationship which is seen to be exemplified by the city’s world famous tourist sites, and also in acknowledgement of the interaction between cariocas and their natural environment.

According to IPHAN, key sites will now be the subject of action to preserve their cultural landscapes: Corcovado, the Sugar Loaf, and the Botanical Gardens amongst them. These are acknowledged as the most important picture post-card sites of Rio, attracting thousands of tourists. Those tourists then get to know the carioca lifestyle, and the beautiful scenery which is only to be found in The Marvellous City. Rio is the 19th site in Brazil to receive UNESCO’s World Heritage status.

According to the city’s Tourism secretary, Pedro Guimarães, the award will make Rio de Janeiro more famous than ever around the world, and should attract more tourists. He also predicts that its status as a cultural World Heritage Site will encourage more investment in the tourism sector. He sees the victory as being well deserved.

“The city, a source of pride for its people, and of passion for the tourists it welcomes, deserves this official recognition of its much-loved nickname The Marvellous City,” says Pedro Guimarães.