Brazil (396 m) – Most Iconic Mountain in Brazil
Sugarloaf is the most iconic of the spectacular granite peaks that rise up out of Guanabara Bay in Rio De Janeiro. Jutting up almost directly from the harbor, it is arguably the most famous natural landmark in Brazil, and an indelibile part of any postcard photograph of the Rio skyline. For clarification, Sugarloaf is not the mountain where the famous Christ the Redeemer statue is located (that mountain is Corcovado).
Sugarloaf and the surrounding harbor were first discovered by Portuguese explorers in the early 16th century. Because the area became a major producer of sugar, the idea that the mountain looked like a sugarloaf stuck as its name. The mountain was an important landmark for navigation throughout the colonial era.
Sugarloaf Mountain is, not surprisingly, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city. From its peak the entire city of Rio De Janeiro spreads out from the downtown area to the harbors to the beaches. While the mountain can be climbed, most visitors access the top by a pair of cable cars.
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