Brazil | The Best Travel Destinations

Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge – Brazil

Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge – Brazil

The Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge (Portuguese: Ponte Juscelino Kubitschek), also known as the President JK Bridge or just the JK Bridge, is a steel and concrete bridge that crosses Lake Paranoá in Brasília. It links the southern part of the lake, and St. Sebastian Paranoá the Pilot Plan (or the central and original part of the city), through the Monumental Axis. Inaugurated on December 15, 2002, the structure of the bridge has a total length of 1,200 metres (3,900 ft), a width of 24 metres (79 ft) and two carriageways with three lanes in each direction, two walkways on the sides for cyclists and pedestrians 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) wide, and three spans of 240 metres (790 ft).

It is named for Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira, former president of Brazil, who in the late 1950s decided to build Brasília as the new capital of the country. It was designed by architect Alexandre Chan and structural engineer Mário Vila Verde.

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The Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge – Brazil

The Octavio Frias de Oliveira Bridge – Brazil

The Octavio Frias de Oliveira bridge is a cable-stayed bridge in São Paulo, Brazil over the Pinheiros River, opened in May 2008. The bridge is 138 metres (453 ft) tall, and connects Marginal Pinheiros to Jornalista Roberto Marinho Avenue.

The bridge deck is unusual due to its form, which is similar to an “X”, crossing at the tower. Height-wise, if you were standing on the 46th floor of a building, you would be level with its highest point. It is also the only bridge in the world that has two curved tracks supported by a single concrete mast.

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Since the inauguration, a fully computerized system of LED lights changing colors and patterns, developed by Philips, illuminates the bridge at night.

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Christ The Redeemer & The Corcovado Mountain – Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

Christ The Redeemer & The Corcovado Mountain – Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

Christ The Redeemer

Towering atop 2400 ft. tall Corcovado Mountain stands certainly Rio’s most memorable monument Christ The Redeemer (Cristo Redentor). Standing upright at over 100 feet tall, two and one half million pounds with outstretched arms and open, inviting hands, Cristo maintains a 24 hour vigil to all inhabitants of Rio.

The idea of a religious statue was first conceived in 1921 by Carlos Oswaldo who sketched out a design of Christ carrying a cross. When engineer Heitor da Silva Costa was commissioned to build the monument he enlisted the aid of Polish sculptor Paul Landowski and the design was changed to its current form and it was agreed that the statue would be sculpted in France.

After five years of planning and sculpting construction finally began on the monumental project. Soapstone was chosen as the desired material, despite its softness, for its durability over time and resistance to the punishing elements. Workers were enlisted and in 1926 construction material was now being hauled up the mountain via the Corcovado Railroad. The same train today transports tourists to the base of the statue. Continue reading Christ The Redeemer & The Corcovado Mountain – Rio de Janeiro – Brazil

Iguassu Falls – Brazil

Iguassu Falls – Brazil

The Iguassu Falls (or Iguazu Falls, in Spanish-Argentinean; or Iguaçu/Iguacu Falls in Portuguese-Brazilian) are situated in Brazil’s south, at the Iguassu river, 650 Km/390 miles from the Brazilian coast, near the boarder with Argentine. They are part of a National Park with the same name, divided between Brazil and Argentine.

The Falls appear a little before the river Iguassu meets the river Parana, when part of the Iguassu plunges in itself for nearly 1,8 miles/3 Km, and origins 275 interlinked cataracts, immense precipices and an unexpected and breathtaking natural spectacle. Continue reading Iguassu Falls – Brazil