in addition to these types of islands, niterói has a few islands of cultural importance.

these islands are not inhabited or have any buildings on them - in fact, they are small is size and physically do not amount to much more than rocks.

considered natural monuments rather than islands, a few of them reached extreme significance - the pedra do índio, the ilha do cardo, and the pedra de itapuca.

first among them is the pedra do índio, close to praia de icaraí, this is the rock legends say inspired the indigenous araribóia, founder of niterói, to create a city in the bay, as he saw his own features resembled in this rock.