São Conrado (

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

: /sɐ̃w̃ kõˈʁadu/) is a neighborhood in the South Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is nestled in between the neighborhoods of

Barra da Tijuca Barra da Tijuca () (usually known as Barra) is an upper-class neighborhood or bairro in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, located in the western portion of the city on the Atlantic Ocean. Barra is well known for its beaches, its many lakes ...

to the southwest and

Leblon Leblon (Portuguese: /leˈblõ/) is a neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is also the name of the local beach. The neighborhood is located in the South Zone of the city, between Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Morro Dois Irmãos and the Jardim ...

to the northeast. The neighborhood takes its name from a small church, Igreja de São Conrado (''Church of São Conrado''), which was constructed early in the 20th century by Conrado Jacob Niemeyer (1831-1905). São Conrado, which ranks as one of the areas with the highest

Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income indicators, w ...

in Brazil, presents a stark contrast to

Rocinha Rocinha (, ''little farm'') is the largest favela in Brazil, located in Rio de Janeiro's South Zone between the districts of São Conrado and Gávea. Rocinha is built on a steep hillside overlooking Rio de Janeiro, and is located about o ...

on its border, which is one of the largest and poorest favelas in Brazil. São Conrado is famous for its hang gliding (popular with locals and tourists alike), Fashion Mall which houses over 150 stores carrying national and international designers, and golf course. The neighborhood, or ''

bairro A ''bairro'' () is a Portuguese word for a 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, and other Portuguese-speaking places. ''Bairro'' ...

'', is made up of sophisticated residential buildings, night clubs, and elegant restaurants. The famous Morro Dois Irmãos, or Two Brothers Mountain, featured in movies, television shows, and postcards from the city, separates the neighborhood from the rest of the South Zone. It is also noted for the mansions on the foot of the Pedra da Gávea, the largest seaside granite rock on Earth, which separates São Conrado from the West Zone. The House at Canoas (''Casa das Canoas''), the private home of Oscar Niemeyer (1907-2012), is located on Estrada das Canoas and is considered a masterpiece of Mid-century modern residential architecture. São Conrado has been the most expensive and sought-after address in Rio, with celebrities such as

Xuxa Maria da Graça Xuxa Meneghel ( ; ; born Maria da Graça Meneghel, 27 March 1963) is a Brazilian television host, film actress, singer, model, and businesswoman. Known as "Queen of Little Ones", Xuxa built the largest Latin American children's e ...

and even the mayor calling the area home. Real estate in the neighborhood is some of the priciest in South America.

Notable residents

* Marcello Alencar, Governor of Rio de Janeiro (1995-1999),

Mayor of Rio de Janeiro This is a list of mayors of Rio de Janeiro. History The city of Rio de Janeiro was founded in 1565. It was the seat of the Crown captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, a district of colonial Brazil under Portuguese rule. In 1763 Rio de Janeiro city became ...

(1983-1986, 1989-1993) Praia de São Conrado - Rio

References

External links

Hang-Gliding in Sao Conrado Off Pedra Bonita - HD Video Narrated in English

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sao Conrado, Rio de Janeiro Neighbourhoods in Rio de Janeiro (city)