the neighborhood of rio comprido (long river) is located in the zona central of rio, surrounded by cosme velho, santa teresa, estácio and catumbi, the area was named after the large river that begins in the floresta da tijuca and runs into guanabara bay.

rio comprido was once called rio iguazu, crossing the region known as catumbi pequeno, granting access to the valley between the two hills morro de santa teresa and santos rodrigues - the river was once used for recreational activities such as fishing and water sports which continued to be popular for a number of years, however, the steady rise of pollution has led to a point where water quality is no longer considered safe for these activities.

in the xvii century this area was dedicated to the production of sugarcane, and several farms were situated in this district, many of which belonged to rich englishmen.