It may seem like the city's biggest irony, but the truth is that Rio de Janeiro has never been a river. An optical illusion is to blame.
It may seem like the city's biggest irony, but the truth is that Rio de Janeiro has never been a river. If you've ever wondered about the origin of the Marvelous City's name while looking at the vastness of the ocean, you should know that it was all just a great geographical misunderstanding during the Age of Discovery.
The story goes back to January 1, 1502. A Portuguese expedition led by explorer Gaspar de Lemos arrived at the entrance of the stunning Guanabara Bay. Amazed by the immensity of the calm waters and surrounded by mountains, the navigators mistook the narrow entrance to the bay for the mouth of a massive river. Since it was the first day of January, they decided to pragmatically name the place: "Rio de Janeiro" (River of January).
Years later, the geographical error was noticed, but the name had already gained momentum and stuck for good. Today, it is one of the most recognized and strongest trademarks of Brazil in the world.
Cariocando Tip: To fully understand the optical illusion that fooled the Portuguese navigators, visit the Santa Cruz Fortress in Niterói, or the São João Fort in Urca. From these points, the bay's entrance truly looks like the mouth of a monumental river meeting the sea!
