March 1st is the birthday of Rio de Janeiro, a city with a charm all of its own. So it’s not surprising that it’s one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. There’s no shortage of attractions for visitors and some places are a must-see. But the Cidade Maravilhosa is not all about beauty; it is also full of history.
On March 1st, the founding of Rio de Janeiro, a city 460 years old, is celebrated. Incredible, isn’t it? To mark this date, let’s travel back in time and tell you about its origins.
Rio de Janeiro’s birthday: why this date?
Many people confuse Rio de Janeiro’s birthday with the day of the city’s patron saint, São Sebastião, celebrated on January 20th. In fact, this date is a municipal holiday!
April 23 is also a public holiday, as it is the day of Saint George, patron saint of the state of Rio de Janeiro. However, although these dates are very important, none of them date back to the founding of Rio de Janeiro.
Why is the city called Rio de Janeiro?
However, it is important to tell the story of the city’s name. After all, why is Rio de Janeiro called Rio de Janeiro?
The name came about when Guanabara Bay, which bathes the city, was discovered by the Portuguese on January 1, 1502. It was during the voyage of the Florentine Amerigo Vespucci to reconnoiter the coast of Portuguese America.
When he came across the Bay, Vespucci said: “Rio de Janeiro!”, to mark what was in front of him and the month. It’s worth noting that, at the time, “river” was the common name for bodies of water in general, not just rivers, such as bays, sacks, etc.
The story behind March 1st
Now for the episode behind the Wonderful City’s birthday. March 1st coincides with the official foundation of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, in 1565, by the Portuguese captain Estácio de Sá.
Estácio de Sá ‘s arrival in Rio had one goal in mind, namely to expel the French, who had decided to invade the area in 1555. After some time, and in order to secure control of the place, Estácio de Sá brought some ships and soldiers with him.
On March 1st, it is said that the city of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro was officially founded, in honor of D. Sebastião, the future king of Portugal.
In more than 400 years of history, the Cidade Maravilhosa has been the scene of some very important events. In fact, there are some incredible curiosities related to Rio de Janeiro, but we’ll leave that for another article.