Karneval in Rio

Sambodromo is the Stadium of Samba. It is composed by the Parading Avenue and many concrete structures to the audience (the Sectors) though the Avenue.

The Sambodromo has been projected by the worldwide recognized modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer. It has been built specially for the Rio de Janeiro Samba Parades and has been opened in 1984.

Once it’s made of concrete, it seems like a little bit old for today’s post-modern eyes. Surrounded by slums (favelas), looks like it’s an abandoned place in the rest of the year, because the location has low amount of cultural events beyond Carnival.

However, it comes to life again during Carnival, when the Sambodromo becomes such a magnificent and imponent place, lit up by special effects in the Samba Parades nights, filled with thousands of spectators and surrounded by thousands of other people who couldn’t get it.

It has been recently reconstructed according to the original Niemeyer’s project and will locate about 72 thousand expectators for the 2019 Samba Parades.

Location
The Sambadromo is placed in the region called Cradle of Samba. It starts at Presidente Vargas avenue, next to Praça Onze and ends at Rua Frei Caneca. The big square at the end of the avenue stands a huge and memorable concrete archway, called Praça da Apoteose. The walkway has been called Professor Darcy Ribeiro, in honor to the idealizer of the Parades in a permanent structure, once the structures used to be set up to the event. The Sambodromo’s walkway is a 700 meterlarge structure.

Facilities