Botafogo (local/standard alternative Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: ) is a beachfront neighborhood (''

bairro A ''bairro'' () is a Portuguese language, Portuguese word for a Quarter (urban subdivision), quarter or a neighborhood or, sometimes, a district which is within a city or town. It is commonly used in Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, ...

'') in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a mostly upper middle class and small commerce community, and is located between the hills of Mundo Novo, Dona Marta (which separates it from Laranjeiras) and São João (which separates it from Copacabana). The word Botafogo also refers to a Latin American ballroom dance move, named so because the area of Botafogo is where it originated.

Etymology

Nicola Antonio Facchinetti - Enseada do Botafogo

Botafogo was named after João Pereira de Sousa Botafogo (1540–1627), who was responsible for the galleon ''Botafogo'''s artillery. Because of that, he received the nickname "Botafogo" and included it in his

family name In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

. When he went to live in Brazil, the Portuguese Crown granted him the land known today as Botafogo. The name literally means "set it on fire" in Portuguese (a reference to the ''Botafogo'' galleon's artillery power). In the mid-19th century, English language speakers also called it Boto Fogo.

Attractions and amenities

Botafogo's beach is within Guanabara Bay, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the

Urca Urca is a traditional and wealthy residential neighborhood with nearly 7,000 inhabitants (2000 census) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Although most of the neighborhood dates from the 1920s, parts of it are much older. What is now called the Forte Sã ...

peninsula and Sugarloaf Mountain. Attractions include the Home of

Ruy Barbosa Ruy Barbosa de Oliveira (5 November 1849 – 1 March 1923), also known as Rui Barbosa, was a Brazilian polymath, diplomat, writer, jurist, and politician. Born in Salvador, Bahia, and a distinguished and staunch defender of civil liberties and ...

, the Museu do Índio — which explores the culture and history of the major indigenous peoples of Brazil — and the

Villa-Lobos Heitor Villa-Lobos (March 5, 1887November 17, 1959) was a Brazilian composer, conductor, cellist, and classical guitarist described as "the single most significant creative figure in 20th-century Brazilian art music". Villa-Lobos has become the ...

Museum. The Public Archive for the State of Rio de Janeiro (APERJ) is also located in Botafogo.

Sports

Botafogo is the home of

Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas Botafogo (local/standard alternative Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation: ) is a beachfront neighborhood ('' bairro'') in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a mostly upper middle class and small commerce community, and is located between the hills of ...

, a multi-sport club whose football team is one of Brazil's biggest.

Infrastructure

The neighborhood is served by Botafogo/Coca-Cola Station on the Rio de Janeiro Metro.

Education

The Deutsche Schule Rio de Janeiro (Escola Alemã Corcovado) is located in Botafogo.Home page (Portuguese)Home page (German)
Deutsche Schule Rio de Janeiro. Retrieved on May 3, 2015. "Rua São Clemente 388 - Botafogo - CEP: 22260-000 Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brasil"

References

{{Authority control Neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro (city) Beaches of Rio de Janeiro (city) Guanabara Bay