one of the most important landmarks in rio de janeiro is the stadium jornalista mário filho, commonly known as maracanã stadium due to a river which runs near the place where it was built.

for many decades it remained the quintessential soccer stadium, and it still represents one of the most iconic and important buildings ever dedicated to the sport, although in recent years others had superseded it in size and capacity.

its construction started in 1948 in preparation for the upcoming brazilian fifa world cup.  

it was a staggering undertaking, and its believed it was able to house 200.000 spectators in the greatest attendance ever registered, by far dwarfing any other stadium in the city, in the country and, at that time,  even in the world.