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Rio’s Sugarloaf and Hunchback

By Awake! correspondent in Brazil

“THERE is no lovelier city on this earth.” That is how the Austrian romanticist Stefan Zweig described Rio de Janeiro. For sure, the view of Rio from atop the dizzying heights of Sugarloaf and Corcovado (Hunchback) mountains is truly breathtaking.

From atop these two famous peaks is seen a panorama of beauty that spreads out as far as your eye can see. There are bays, inlets, islands, beaches, bald rocks that jut hundreds of feet into the sky, as well as lush wooded mountain slopes, the sparkling sea with its ever-changing colors, and, of course, the city itself.

Rio presents a distinctive charm, with its residential quarters fitting snugly into every livable nook and cranny, extending up the sides of the mountains and over the lower spurs. And what a hodgepodge of architectural designs! Colonial structures side by side with ultramodern buildings, surrounded by shantytowns that cling precariously to the small hills.

Sugarloaf Mountain

The first description of Sugarloaf is found in a letter dated July 9, 1565. Writing to his superior, the Jesuit missionary José de Anchieta mentions “a very high peak, like a sugar loaf, which overlooks the virgin woodlands and dense forest.” This conical granitic rock, rising about 1,300 feet (395 m), stands like a sentinel at the entrance to Guanabara Bay.

Until 1817 the top of Sugarloaf was inaccessible to humans. In that year an Englishwoman, with the toughness of a Marco Polo, scaled its steep incline and hoisted the British flag on its summit. This caused such a stir among the local residents​—subjects of the Portuguese King John VI, then residing in Brazil—​that the next day a soldier scrambled up the treacherous slope, uprooted the offending flag and substituted his country’s banner for it! For his rash patriotic exploit, he was discharged from military service​—Portugal and Britain were allies!

At the International Exposition held in Rio in 1909, the idea of making Sugarloaf Mountain a tourist attraction was discussed. The mayor authorized a project to construct a cable-car system, and work began that very same year. Starting at Vermelha Beach, the first stage of the aerial railway was completed by October 27, 1912. On inauguration day, 577 persons made the trip to the top of Urca Hill (about 720 feet [220 m]), a stepping-stone to Sugarloaf’s peak. The second stage was ready by January 19, 1913, when 449 were transported by cable car across the 2,460 feet (750 m) of breathtaking space to the apex of the grand peak that had been a source of fascination for centuries.

The original cable cars carried millions of people during their 60 years of service. Then, on October 29, 1972, they were replaced with modern streamlined models, manufactured in Italy. These new cable cars are capable of handling 1,360 passengers per hour.

The Hunchback Mountain

As you stand on Sugarloaf’s vantage point, another peak commands attention​—Corcovado (Hunchback) Mountain! Standing farther back from the coastline, this sharp, rocky peak of 2,310 feet (704 m) offers a view of the entire city, its bay, and the surrounding districts.

More accessible than Sugarloaf Mountain, Hunchback Mountain was first scaled, it is claimed, by Brazil’s emperor Dom Pedro I (1822-31) and his wife, Leopoldina, on horseback. Thereafter it became a favorite resort for both Rio’s residents and foreign visitors.

Dom Pedro II issued a decree on January 7, 1882, authorizing the construction of a railway, which was inaugurated on October 9, 1884. The initial station, Cosme Velho, is about 120 feet (37 m) above sea level and the last stop is some 2,200 feet (670 m) above sea level. In 1912 the line was electrified, and the steam engines were dispensed with.

The winding and twisting ride up, whether by road or by rail, is as delightful as the view from the peak. The exhilarating aroma of the humid tropical forest, the birds and huge butterflies of every hue, the coolness of the deep shade, and the sudden breaking forth into brilliant sunshine in the many clearings all make the ascent an unforgettable experience.

The ‘loveliest city on earth’? To some perhaps​—visitors and natives alike. But one thing is sure, Rio de Janeiro has two magnificent peaks​—the Sugarloaf and Corcovado (Hunchback) mountains—​from which the ‘lovely city’ can be viewed and appreciated.

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Photos: Colombo Cine Foto Produçōes Ltda., Rio de Janeiro