Rising 536 meters above sea level Morro Mariana Cascardo stands tall. It is a peak in Rio de Janeiro. Have you ever wondered about the history of this mountain and the surrounding area? Let me tell you a story that spans centuries.
The story begins long before the city of Rio de Janeiro existed. Nomadic groups lived in the Guanabara Bay basin. This was at least 4000 years ago. By the time Europeans arrived Tupi-Guarani speaking people lived here. They were known as the Tupinambá. They settled near rivers and streams. The bay was critical to their lives. They relied on it for fish turtles and crustaceans.
In 1501 Portuguese ships explored the area. Amerigo Vespucci may have even lived here for a month. By 1519 trade was established between Europeans and the indigenous people.
Magellan sailed into the Guanabara Bay in 1519. He stayed for thirteen days. His crew traded with the natives for food and parrots. They stocked up on water before continuing their journey south.
Later visitors like Hans Staden and André Thevet wrote about their experiences. Staden a soldier created one of the earliest maps of the bay. Thevet a cosmographer also made maps. These maps and accounts provide valuable insights. They show how Europeans perceived the landscape.
Thevet’s maps emphasize the rivers mountains and forests of the bay. The landscape was thickly forested. Small canoes dotted the bay. The Ilha do Governador was populated.
Jean de Léry arrived in 1557. He described the entrance to the bay as difficult. He noted the Sugar Loaf mountain calling it the Butter Pot. The Guanabara Bay he wrote was surrounded by mountains.
Léry lived on Coligny Island now Villegagnon Island. He described the rocky shores and the oysters that lived there. He also noted the different types of water fresh salt and stagnant. Each had a distinct ecosystem.
Over time the city of Rio de Janeiro grew. The Guanabara Bay and Basin changed. The Atlantic forest was cut down. New plants and animals were introduced.
Mapping these changes is challenging. Historical maps are not always accurate. River courses have changed. However by studying historical maps and accounts we can begin to reconstruct the past.
ImagineRio has mapped the built environment of Rio de Janeiro. A future step is mapping the broader environment. This includes the Guanabara Bay and Guanabara Basin. By studying the accounts of travelers and surviving maps we can capture vistas of the bay.
Today Morro Mariana Cascardo is part of this history. It stands as a reminder of the past. The mountain is part of the Serra do Quilombo. Its eastern branch forms the Serra da Escada D’Água.
As we look at Morro Mariana Cascardo we see more than just a mountain. We see a landscape shaped by time history and culture. It connects us to the indigenous people the European explorers and the countless others who have called this place home. The story of Morro Mariana Cascardo is a story of Rio de Janeiro itself.