vidigal is known as the chic and illustrious favela of rio de janeiro, due largely to a rapid and ongoing process of gentrification and to an extremely privileged location - the favela began to take shape in the early 20th century, named after miguel nunes vidigal, a member of the royal guard police force who originally owned the land.

the first huts were built in 1911, and by the 1950s there were nearly 1300 residents -  the subsequent urban expansion of ipanema and leblon, as well as surrounding commerce, in the 60s and 70s, resulted in a concomitant boom in vidigal. 

in the 1970s, the favela community earned itself a lasting legacy of strong resistance to government removal - situated between the two high-end districts of leblon and são conrado, and next to the landmark  morro dois irmãos.