this is the church on top of a hill clearly visible form any airplanes landing or taking off for rio's international airport -  a landmark that many tourists immediately notice as they arrive in the city.

other notable attractions in the neighborhood include two parks - the shangai and the parque ari barroso, further to two large shopping malls.

next to the penha neighborhood is the complexo do alemão, a group of thirteen favelas, with a turbulent past but recently pacified, which also welcomes in the new year with the joyous celebrations of the city.