Brazil
Sugarloaf Mountain 3D
Welcome to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! Sugarloaf Mountain is a huge rounded peak of solid rock rising straight up from the sea, with a famous cable car that carries visitors to the top for sweeping views of the city.
Why is it famous?
Sugarloaf Mountain offers one of the best views in Rio de Janeiro, looking out over beaches, the city, and Christ the Redeemer in the distance.
Its glass cable cars, first built in 1912, were among the earliest cable car systems in the world and are still a beloved ride today.
How was it formed?
The mountain is made of granite and quartz rock that formed deep underground over 600 million years ago.
Over millions of years, wind and rain wore away the softer rock around it, leaving this smooth, rounded peak standing tall by the sea.
Quick facts
- Sugarloaf Mountain rises 1,299 feet (396 meters) straight up from Guanabara Bay.
- Its name comes from its shape, which reminded early settlers of the tall loaves used to sell refined sugar hundreds of years ago.
- The cable car ride to the top happens in two stages, stopping first at a smaller peak called Morro da Urca.