at a glance

in 1870 the portuguese entrepreneur, domingos fernandes pinto, promoted the idea of creating an embankment to finally unite the island to the mainland, a project that would be boycotted by the armed forces, fearful of compromising the fort.

only in 1922 would a plan by another portuguese, oscar almeida gama, come to life and finally connect the urca hill to the rest of rio de janeiro.  

called sociedade anônima urca (urca's anonymous society) was the company in charge of the construction, and as part of the agreement with the city's prefecture it also built a hotel on praia da urca.