Botafogo is a beachfront neighborhood (bairro) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is mostly a middle and high-class and small commerce community, located between the hills of Mundo Novo, Santa Marta (separating it from Laranjeiras) and Morro de São João (separating it from Copacabana).
It was named after João Pereira de Sousa Botafogo. He was responsible for the famous galleon Botafogo artillery, so he included the ship’s name in its family name. When he went to live in Brazil, the Portuguese Crown granted him some lands known today as the Botafogo area, becoming a landowner in colonial times. The name literally means set it on fire (from the ship's artillery power).
Botafogo's beach is within Guanabara Bay, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Urca peninsula and Sugarloaf Mountain. Attractions include the Home of Rui Barbosa, the Museu do Índio — which explores the culture and history of the major indigenous peoples of Brazil — and the Villa Lobos Museum. With a high concentration of cafés and cinemas, including several movie theaters that feature arthouse films, Botafogo has a decidedly traditional tone, setting it apart from the nearby beach neighborhoods. Former Brazil president Fernando Henrique Cardoso resided for a brief period of time in his childhood in the Botafogo neighbourhood. It is also home to two of the city's largest shopping centers, Botafogo Praia Shopping and RioSul. Botafogo is also the birthplace of opera star Bidu Sayão.
The metro station is on linha 1.
Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas is also a name of a multimodality sportive association, one of Brazil's biggest soccer teams in Rio de Janeiro.
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Coordinates: 22°57′12″S 43°11′24″W / 22.95334°S 43.19000°W
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