As a neighborhood that gained international fame after its starring role in the film of the same name, Cidade de Deus (city of god) has an enduring reputation as a particularly dangerous area of the city of Rio. IT is commonly confused for an organically formed favela, whereas in reality it was a modern neighborhood inserted into the urban landscape of the city by the government, with the aim of providing services and facilitates to educate and develop the community and promote growth.

In the 1960s an extensive eviction process took shape, in which residents from precarious and dangerous accommodation in 23 different favelas were relocated to housing units in the Cidade de Deus, in the West Zone of the city between Largo da Freguesia and Barra da Tijuca. The policy was implemented by the then government of Carlos Lacerda, which chose the name in order to provide the area with a degree of religious appeal and power. All of the major streets and buildings in the area are concurrently named after biblical characters.