that such scenic beauty and tranquility lie so close to the bustle of the main city is one of rio's great marvels and charms, and these beautiful views are the jewel of the community in which they are situated.

babilônia has its heralded claim to fame - home to the location of one of the scenes from orfeu negro (black orpheus), a film by marcelo camus, which won the golden palm at the cannes film festival and the oscar for best foreign film in 1960.

the mound used to be a key military strategic point so, along the popular trail, there are still bunkers from the second world war, remnants of the period when brazil was under threat of nazi submarine attacks. there are also older ruins on the ascent which are thought to originate from the period of colonization.