at a glance

this part of rio was named botafogo in the late xvii century in honor of joão souza pereira botafogo, a local land and farm owner.                 

botafogo is one of rio's most important economic centers, home to everything from cinemas, museums, cultural centers, shopping malls to medical centers, nightclubs, and a variety of restaurants - in the midst of it all, some beautifully preserved colonial mansions add a level of depth to this district, and also many consulates are located in botafogo. 

for many years botafogo was not easily reachable from the center of town, only via few passages either via the lagoa or by boat - but major urban developments started in mid xviii century, when also sporting event and races started to take place in the bay.