Vidigal favela just behind the Rio Sheraton
Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest
Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest is about a mile past the Sheraton, Vidigal favela in Rio is just behind the five star Sheraton hotel, it really is a clash of cultures.
Just a little further along is Rocinha favela (little farm) it is the largest favela in Brazil, and is 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 one kilometre from a nearby beach. Most of the favela is on a very steep hill, with many trees surrounding it. 69,161 (census 2010) people live in Rocinha, making it the most populous favela in Brazil.
Although Rocinha is technically classified as a neighbourhood, many still refer to it as a favela. It developed from a shanty town into an urbanized slum. Today, almost all the houses in Rocinha favela are made from concrete and brick. Some buildings are three and four stories tall and almost all houses have basic sanitation, plumbing, and electricity. Compared to simple shanty towns or slums, Rocinha has a better developed infrastructure and hundreds of businesses such as banks, medicine stores, bus lines, cable television, including locally based channel TV ROC (TV Rocinha), and, at one time, a McDonalds franchise. These factors help classify Rocinha as a favela bairro, or favela neighbourhood.
I guess Monday is washing day.
Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest and one of the most developed. Rocinha’s population was estimated at between 150,000 and 300,000 inhabitants in 2000s (decade) but the IBGE Census of 2010 counted only 69,161 people. In November 2011, a security operation was executed where hundreds of police and military patrolled the streets of Rocinha to crackdown on rampant drug dealers and bring government control to the neighborhood.
The smell here was rather unpleasant.
I’ll say this, the smell was hard to cope with and it was not a hot day.
Garbage waiting for collection.
No one knows where and when the name Rocinha favela emerged, but the most likely theory is that in the 1920s there was a famous open air market in what is today the Santos Dumont Plaza in Gávea. The middle class and elite who bought their fresh produce there would ask the vendors where the produce came from and they would answer that they came from their ‘little farm’ or Rocinha.
No council approval here. 😳
Rochinha favela is the largest in Rio.
Master electrician on the job.
This incredible mish mash of electrical wiring reminds me very much of Thailand. In Rocinha it is an illegal system, in Thailand however a mess like this is legal. Take a look at my Thai photo blog here.
Exploring Rocinha is an incredible experience.
200,000 people live here in Rocinha, in fact 20% of Rio’s population live in Favelas. Personally I found seeing this close up was a very humbling experience.
Rocinha (little farm) is the largest Favela in Brazil
Life in the Favela is very much like any other Brazilian community.
Life in the favela is fascinating.
Houskeeping
He sweeps while madame supervises.
A typical walkway
Rather depressing don’t you think?
Kids will always find somewhere to play.
Happy children playing on the roof top.
Happy kids are everywhere.
Kid’s are happy no matter where they live.
Beautiful faces in the slums.
No matter where in the world you travel one of the most wonderful sights are the children’s beautiful faces.
Life in a Favela
These children don’t know any different, they are just happy being kids. 🙂
At carnival time most of the favela population celebrate in the streets of Ipanema and Copacabana.
Rocinha favela bakery
Tasty pastries in the local bakery.
Lucy is checking out the goodies.
The bakery is no different to what you would find down-town
Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest
Hard to have any privacy in this environment.
What’s the plan today Boys?
Some serious business going down here.
25 killed in city’s deadliest police raid on favela
On May 7 2021 at least 25 people have been killed after heavily armed police stormed one of Rio de Janeiro’s largest favelas in pursuit of drug traffickers, in what was the deadliest raid in the city’s history.
About 200 members of Rio’s civil police launched their incursion into Jacarezinho in the early hours of Thursday, sprinting into the vast redbrick community as a bullet-proof helicopter circled overhead with snipers poised on each side. By lunchtime at least 25 people were reported dead, among them André Frias, a drug squad officer who was shot in the head. Police and local media described the other victims as “suspects” but offered no immediate evidence for that claim.
Here are some more posts to check out
The tour through Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro was one of the highlights of my trip.
Check out these great photo blogs.
Counter only started June 16 2020.
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