The SugarLoaf Mountain, or Pão de Açúcar in Portuguese, is a granite peak located in the city of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It rises to 396 meters above sea level and is accessible by a cable car.
The Sugar Loaf consists of gneiss-like granites that rose into the earth’s crust as plutons about 560 million years ago during the Pan-African Orogeny. The dome-shaped shape of the rock, which had already been created by the formation, was further strengthened by desquamation, as the outer layers of the rock became detached from the rest of the mountain like onion skins.
The Sugar Loaf, which was previously considered un-climbed, was climbed for the first time in 1817 by the English mountaineer Henrietta Carstairs. In 1972 the steep side of the Sugar Loaf was climbed for the first time by a German-Austrian rope team.
the locals compare the mountain to a lump of sugar. Whether this is true or not, you can understand only by seeing the legendary SugarLoaf up close. There is another version, according to which the name comes from the sugar cane that once covered the slopes of the mountain.
Today, you can get to the top of the famous mountain by cable car in one of the cozy funiculars.The summit, overlooking Guanabara Bay in eastern Rio, is one of the city’s main attractions.
Access : Coordinates: -22.948611, -43.157222 / Address: Monto do Pão de Açúcar.
Highlights :
- The O Bondinho cable car, the sides of which are fully glazed, leads up to the Sugar Loaf,On the summit, next to the cable car station, there are several viewing platforms as well as a souvenir shop and a small bamboo forest, which is criss-crossed by walking paths.
- In 1565, a Portuguese settlement was founded at the foot of Pan di Asucar, which later became the city of Rio de Janeiro.
- In the 1970s, an amphitheater, the Concha Verde concert and entertainment complex, was opened on Mount Urca, next to Pan di Asucar, where music and dance shows are held.
- Climbing : The Sugar Loaf Mountain, Morro da Babilônia and Morro da Urca are very popular with climbing enthusiasts. They form one of the largest groups for rock climbing in urban areas, with more than 270 routes.
- Every weekend from mid-November to February, Sugar Loaf hosts the Carioque Nights festival with the participation of the country’s most popular artists.
- Cable car : The current cable car connects the base of Morro da Babilônia to the top of Morro da Urca at 220 meters above sea level, then the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain. This second 700-meter-long section is equipped with panoramic spherical cabins that can transport 65 passengers every twenty minutes, for a three-minute climb /Funicular working hours: 8:00 – 19:50, seven days a week. Admission: 110 BRL, from 6 to 21 years old: 55 BRL, up to 6 years old admission is free.
Go next : Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) / Copacabana / Ipanema / Tijuca National Park / Jardim Botânico – Botanical Garden.
