Copacabana Boardwalk

 Ana Clara Tavares
Proofreading: Claudia Grangeiro da Silva Castro

The Copacabana Boardwalk is one of the most iconic symbols of Rio de Janeiro and one of the world’s most recognized landmarks. The original boardwalk was part of the urbanization project for what is now Avenida Atlântica, initiated by Mayor Pereira Passos in 1905, and was inaugurated around 1909. The famous wavy pattern of the boardwalk was inspired by Praça do Rossio in Lisbon. The wave design, created by engineer Pinheiro Furtado for the Lisbon square, represents the meeting of the Tagus River with the Atlantic Ocean and was named “mar largo” (open sea).

Augusto Malta. Storm surge at Leme Beach, Rio de Janeiro, 1921. Pedro Corrêa do Lago Collection, Moreira Salles Institute.

The waves of the “mar largo” pattern were perpendicular to the width of the sidewalk. The design was created using white limestone and black basalt brought from Portugal, hence the term Portuguese stone. The mosaic paving was executed by more than 30 Portuguese stone masons, sent by the Lisbon City Council.

During the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, parts of the beachfront sidewalk were rebuilt with Portuguese stone as maintenance became necessary. This version of the wave pattern ran parallel to the curb, creating the impression of continuity with the ocean waves. This adjustment made the design more harmonized with the surrounding landscape. Since then, the wave pattern of the Copacabana sidewalk has become an icon of Rio de Janeiro, especially thanks to the character Zé Carioca, created by Disney Studios in 1942, who featured the boardwalk in animated films seen around the world.

Reproduction from the internet

By the 1960s, much of the Copacabana beachfront sidewalk already featured the pattern we see today, known as the ´Copacabana wave´. However, it was only during the re-urbanization project of 1970/1971 that the entire length of the beachfront sidewalk was rebuilt, applying the same, modernized pattern from start to finish.

Sebastião Marinho. Copacabana Boardwalk, 1970s. O Globo Archives.

The reinterpretation of the Copacabana wave pattern during the urban renewal for the expansion of Copacabana Beach in 1971 was the result of work carried out by a team at SURSAN, a municipal agency of the Rio de Janeiro City Hall responsible for the major project. The team of architects, Augusto Ivan Pinheiro de Freitas and Sonia Mattos, was tasked with the proportional enlargement and careful geometric refinement of the wave pattern for the third version of the beachfront sidewalk, which was part of the engineering project for the promenade that borders the beach.

The boardwalk stretches for about four kilometers, creating a sense of continuous movement that mirrors the natural flow of the ocean waves. The Copacabana boardwalk is more than just a piece of urban infrastructure. It is a cultural landmark for Cariocas. Its black and white waves are recognized worldwide, and have become a national symbol that represents the image of the city of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil around the world.

Donatas Dabravolskas. Copacabana Boardwalk, undated. Reproduction Wikimedia Commons

Over the years, the boardwalk has become an essential part of Rio’s symbolism, featured in films, music, artworks, and advertisements celebrating the Carioca lifestyle. For both Brazilian and international tourists, the Copacabana Boardwalk is a must-visit destination.