Morro da Providência ("Providence Hill") is a

favela Favela () is an umbrella name for several types of impoverished neighborhoods in Brazil. The term, which means slum or ghetto, was first used in the Slum of Providência in the center of Rio de Janeiro in the late 19th century, which was b ...

located between the two

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

districts of Santo Cristo and Gamboa. It has an altitude of 115 metres and is located in the port area of the city (currently the subject of a major revitalization known as the
Porto Maravilha).
' It is widely considered to be the first favela community in

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

"The granite hump of Providencia gazes down like a stern guardian on the old port of Rio de Janeiro. It offers probably the finest viewpoint over any city I know."

History

In 1897, victorious veterans of the Canudos War who were promised land in the old capital upon their return found that such promises were not kept. In frustration and desperation, the soldiers invaded the hill scrub land close to the (then) Ministry of War. The hill was initially named ''Morro da Favela'' after the favela plant, a skin-irritating bush belonging to the spurge family, which is indigenous to the region where the soldiers fought against the Canudos settlers in the eastern province of

Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of the country. It is the fourth-largest Brazilian state by population (after São Paulo (state), São Paulo, Mina ...

.Pedro A. Pinto, '' Os Sertões de

Euclides da Cunha Euclides da Cunha (, January 20, 1866 – August 15, 1909) was a Brazilian journalist, sociologist and engineer. His most important work is '' Os Sertões'' (''Rebellion in the Backlands''), a non-fictional account of the military expeditions ...

: Vocabulário e Notas Lexiológicas'', Rio: Francisco Al In the early 20th century, freed

slaves Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

joined the soldiers and were joined by new European migrants as well, because it was the only affordable place to live near their work in the city's centre and port.

References

Geography of Rio de Janeiro (city) Favelas {{RiodeJaneiro-geo-stub