Rio de Janeiro Guide: Planning Your Trip SEE FULL GUIDE prev next 5 Days Trips from Rio Best Restaurants 10 Foods to Try Rio's Best Beach Snacks Nightlife in Rio Best Time to Visit Weather & Climate Neighborhood Guide Public Transportation Safety in Rio Airport Guide Best Hotels 18 Fun Things to Do in Rio Free Things to Do Rio's Best Beaches Coolest Architecture Rio de Janeiro Guide: Planning Your Trip close Overview Central & South America Brazil Rio de Janeiro's Coolest Architecture By Robert Schrader Updated on 11/21/19 Incredible architecture might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you imagine Rio de Janeiro. Rio, after all, is a city famous for beaches and Carnival, not for cathedrals or buttresses. On your next trip to Rio de Janeiro, take some time to discover the city's unique and eclectic architecture, which ranges from Portuguese-colonial to downright out-of-this-world, and which is spread throughout the city so that you can find examples of it almost everywhere you go. 01 of 10 Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro Luoman via Getty Images View Map Address Av. Chile, 245 - Centro - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20031-170, Brazil Get directions Phone +55 21 2240-2669 Web Visit website There's fantastic Rio de Janeiro architecture, and then there's the downright bizarre. One structure that sits at the intersection of these two ideas is the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, which is located in Rio de Janeiro's underrated downtown about 15-30 minutes by metro from Copacabana and Ipanema. Built in the 1960s and 70s to represent a modernist take on a Mayan pyramid, this cathedral is in regular use, though you can, of course, go inside anytime a mass isn't taking place (or if one is, assuming you're a Catholic or don't mind being one for an hour). 02 of 10 Lapa Arches dabldy via Getty Images View Map Address Lapa, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20031-040, Brazil Get directions Located only a stone's throw from the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Lapa Arches are a great place to continue your exploration of architecture in Rio. Part of the Carioca Aqueduct that supplies drinking water to the city, the Lapa Arches bear a similarity to Roman aqueducts that is anything but coincidental. The Lapa Arches are located only a stone's throw from the colorful Escadaria Selarón staircase, plus Santa Teresa, which is one of the most amazing neighborhoods in Rio. The Lapa Arches are especially stunning a few hours after sunrise or before sunset when they cast their most dramatic shadows on the ground beneath them. 03 of 10 Niterói Contemporary Art Museum Birgit Rumlich via Getty Images View Map Address Mirante da Boa Viagem, s/nº - Boa Viagem, Niterói - RJ, 24210-390, Brazil Get directions Phone +55 21 2620-2400 Web Visit website Another example of incredible Rio de Janeiro architecture sits just outside of Rio's city center—but it's very worth the journey. Located across Guanabara Bay in Niterói, which is accessible via a short ferry ride, the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum looks like it's from another planet. Indeed, it's the brainchild of a genius, having been designed by iconic Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in the 1990s. And it's undoubtedly a work of art, to say nothing of the ones it houses within it. 04 of 10 Maracanã Stadium Fabio Canhim via Getty Images View Map Address Av. Pres. Castelo Branco, Portão 3 - Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20271-130, Brazil Get directions You don't have to be a fan of soccer to appreciate the architecture of Maracanã Stadium, Brazil's (and, arguably, South America's) premier venue for futebol. Located in a district that bears its name not far from downtown Rio, this massive, round stadium can accommodate up to 78,000 people at a time. If you're visiting Rio and a game isn't taking place, organized tours are offered several times per day. Continue to 5 of 10 below. 05 of 10 Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro Ruy Barbosa Pinto via Getty Images View Map Address Praça Floriano, S/N - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20031-050, Brazil Get directions Phone +55 21 2332-9191 Web Visit website Argentina's capital Buenos Aires usually gets credit as being the most European city in South America. Still, there are instances in which Rio de Janeiro gives it a run for its money. A particular example of this would be the city's Municipal Theater, an ornate Opera House inspired in part by Paris' Opera Garnier. The most notable example of Art Nouveau architecture in Rio de Janeiro, the Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, is a marvel to look at, whether you catch a performance here or stroll past it during the night. 06 of 10 Modern Art Museum LiciaR via Getty Images View Map Address Av. Infante Dom Henrique, 85 - Parque do Flamengo, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20021-140, Brazil Get directions Phone +55 21 3883-5600 Web Visit website One of several museums on this list, the Modern Art Museum of Rio de Janeiro, would be easy enough to miss, even amid the other two: It is neither as otherworldly as the Niteroi Museum of Contemporary Art nor as boundary-pushing as the Museum of Tomorrow. In spite of this, the modernist building that houses the museum, which was completed in 1948, is an understated gem. Its design flourishes are not just visually pleasing, but serve a purpose as well, bathing the permanent and rotating exhibitions with natural light for most of the year. 07 of 10 Emiliano Hotel Emiliano Hotel View Map Address R. Oscar Freire, 384 - Jardim Paulista, São Paulo - SP, 01426-000, Brazil Get directions Phone +55 11 3728-2000 Web Visit website A spin-off of a property by the same name in São Paulo, Copacabana's Emiliano Hotel opened in 2016 to well-deserved fanfare. In addition to offering a rooftop with unparalleled views of Copacabana Beach (and the Atlantic Ocean more generally), the hotel is an example of architectural excellence, both working within the 1950s building into which it's constructed, and challenging it with decidedly modern interior and exterior accents. 08 of 10 Parque Lage Leonam Torre via Getty Images View Map Address R. Jardim Botânico, 414 - Jardim Botânico - Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 22461-000, Brazil Get directions Phone +55 21 2334-4088 Web Visit website If you're looking for lush green spaces in Rio to detach from the hustle-bustle of the city center (or to experience a sort of beauty that has nothing to do with the beach), the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden is the best place to go. Just north and east of the garden, however, you'll find one of Rio's underrated architectural marvels: Parque Lage. Built by industrialist architect Enrique Lage in the 1920s, this ornate mansion blends perfectly with the lush greenery of Corcovado Mountain, which rises above it. Continue to 9 of 10 below. 09 of 10 Royal Portuguese Reading Room Willie Schumann View Map Address R. Luís de Camões, 30 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20051-020, Brazil Get directions Phone +55 21 2221-3138 Web Visit website Who said that Europe had a monopoly on Instagram-worthy libraries? As its name suggests, the Royal Portuguese Reading Room dates back to Portuguese-colonial times, having been opened in 1837. It's not just the European-looking facade of the building, however, or the ornate vaulted ceilings of its Neo-Manueline interior that make this a must-visit for aficionados of architecture in Rio. Among other accolades, the Royal Portuguese Reading Room is home to the largest collection of Portuguese-language literature outside of Portugal. 10 of 10 Museum of Tomorrow Dominio Publico via Wikimedia Commons View Map Address Praça Mauá, 1 - Centro, Rio de Janeiro - RJ, 20081-240, Brazil Get directions Web Visit website Opened in late 2015 and dedicated to the world's latest scientific innovations, the Museum of Tomorrow (Museu do Amanhã in Portuguese) certainly lives up to its name. Built in advance of the 2016 Olympics as part of government efforts to revitalize Rio's port area, this cantilevered structure is worth a look and a visit on your next trip to Rio, even if you don't plan to go inside. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email