In addition to being considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the city of Rio de Janeiro now boasts the unprecedented title of Urban Cultural Landscape, declared a World Heritage Site. The recognition was made by UNESCO.
The choice of title for the state capital is based on the way the city and nature are closely related in Rio.
Some of the elements of the city that contributed to the granting of recognition by UNESCO include Sugarloaf Mountain, Corcovado, Tijuca Forest, Flamengo Park, the Botanical Garden, Copacabana Beach, Guanabara Bay, Copacabana Fort, Leme Hill, and the hills of Arpoador, the Botafogo waterfront, and other areas.
The UNESCO representative in Brazil, Lucien Muñoz, highlighted that the title granted to Rio de Janeiro, just like the one attributed to the national capital Brasília thirty years ago, is quite innovative. For Muñoz, the coexistence of the Marvelous City with its rich natural landscape implies ongoing challenges to ensure the survival of its unique attributes.
In 2012, the city was the first urban area in the world to have the universal value of its landscape recognized. Prior to that, listed heritage sites were related to rural areas, traditional agricultural systems, historic gardens, and other symbolic natural sites.