among the waterfalls,  a local landmark is the impressive 100-foot cascatinha taunay waterfall, named after the French painter, while among the ponds, the the lagoa das fadas (Lake of the fairies) wins in popularity.

set on the sight of a former dammed pond and the aptly named Açude da Solidão (dam of solitude), this pond is a gem of beauty and tranquility.

part of the park, The Tijuca Forest in its present form traces back to King Dom Pedro II who, realizing the damage done to the city's water supply by the coffee and sugar cane plantations, implemented the replanting of the forest with an estimated 10 million trees.