at a glance

eventually, the old sugarcane plantations and mills that were common in the region were appropriated. the areas of sapopemba, gericinó, engenho novo da piedade of água branca, cabral and monte alegre were turned into large fields between deodoro in rio's west zone and the baixada fluminense (the lowlands).

it was then, a military village. as such the vila militar (military village) was completed by 1912 and within three years the development was one of largest military complexes in brazil and latin america. it housed more than sixty thousand men. the neighborhood also contains the garrison's hospital, the hospital da guarnição da vila militar.

the deodoro sports center (centro esportivo deodoro) was built for the pan american games rio 2007, which included equestrian, pentathlon and hockey competition to name a few. it is now a permanent national center fot equestrian and shooting competition.