10 More Things You Didn’t Know About Rio, Part III

70 Days Out

Visa has been counting down the days until the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on August 5. Along the way, we’re offering fun facts about this summer’s host city—the first city in South America to host the Olympic Games. From Rio’s famed street art to its legendary party animal, there’s plenty of crazy, wonderful things to know about this beautiful city, inside and out.

 

1. The stars on the Brazilian flag represent the sky over Rio during the proclamation of the Brazilian republic on the night of November 15, 1889.

2. Rio’s Sugar Loaf Mountain is reachable only by cable car and offers stunning panoramic views of the city (especially at sunset).

3. During the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, an estimated half-million new visitors are expected to descend on Brazil. 

4. Street art has been legal in Rio since 2009. Graffiti artists can spray freely with owner consent, which has turned Rio into a canvas of colorful spray-painted murals. 

5. The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will host 306 events: 161 in men’s sports, 136 in women’s sports and 9 in mixed-gender sports. 

6. The Brazil currency, the “Real” (pronounced ray-all), was introduced on July 1, 1994 as part of a broader plan to stabilize the Brazilian economy.

7. Brazil’s national dish feijoada (which means black beans in Portuguese) is a hearty stew made from black beans, sausages and cuts of pork (typically ears, feet and tails). 

8. Brazil’s famous Samba music, with roots from West Africa, started in the neighborhoods of Rio.

9. During Rio’s winter Carnival, which has been going on since 1723, the mayor hands over the keys of the city to a man elected to be King Momo, a jester and legendary “party animal” who kicks off and presides over the festivities. 

10. Approximately 10,500 athletes from 207 countries are expected to compete in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, for which Visa is a TOP—The Olympic Partner program—sponsor.

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