SantaLuziaBeach

Only an avenue and a strip of sand separated the entrance of the Church of Santa Luzia, in downtown Rio, from the calm waters of the beach of the same name, perhaps the first stretch of shoreline to be used as a bathing resort by Rio locals. First came the therapeutic baths, as was customary in past centuries; only later did the beach become a leisure destination, even receiving small structures called "bathhouses." In the early 20th century, it was also the stage for water sports competitions such as rowing.

Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph. The image shows a beach with houses and buildings along the shoreline. On the left, there is a small island with a few buildings. In the center, a church with a tower and dome stands out, located near the water. In the background, there is a hill covered with vegetation. On the right, there are trees and more buildings. In the bottom left corner, it reads "Praia de Santa Luzia."

Today, anyone walking past the Catholic church can hardly imagine how different that landscape used to be. With the leveling of the Morro do Castelo nearby and the landfill that gave rise to the Esplanada do Castelo, Santa Luzia beach gradually disappeared.

Image description: The image is an old black-and-white photograph showing a panoramic view of a beach and coastal area. From left to right, we see a series of houses and buildings close to the water, with sloped roofs and simple structures. Moving toward the center, we observe a small harbor with boats and wooden platforms over the sea. In the background, there is a hill covered in vegetation and a few isolated buildings. To the right, the horizon is made up of other distant islands or peninsulas. The sky is clear, indicating a sunny day. In the lower right part of the image, there is a legible inscription that appears to read "S. Luzia - entre A Central e Arsenal da Guerra Rio-27-10-06".

Its disappearance was completed with the construction process of the Flamengo landfill. What was once a beach is today a set of avenues: Franklin Roosevelt and Beira-Mar.

Image description: This is an old photograph of a beach with a long pier extending over the sea. On the left side, we can see buildings close to the water, including low structures and industrial buildings with chimneys. In the background, there is a hill covered with vegetation and a few houses. In the center of the image, the pier crosses the sea, connecting the beach to the mainland. In the distance to the right, we can see a row of buildings and a structure that appears to be a bridge or another pier. The sky is clear and cloudless. The image is in black and white.