Cidade do Samba
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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His Majesty the Rio de Janeiro Carnival

Rio de Janeiro's Carnival, from now on, has its own citadel, a city inside the City, a true living museum and its factories of carnival. Functioning all over the year, the Cidade do Samba opens its doors to foliões.


The Cidade do Samba (City of Samba) reaches a very important step in the evolution and the consolidation of Rio's Carnival and of Brazil's Carnival as a major cultural expression as well as popular manifestation.

And the Dream became True

Actually, this was the dream of many Rio's carnavalescos for about 50 years. The dream to allow Escolas de Samba have a place of their own where they could produce their magnificent show. It's done, from now on.

The City of the Carnival

The barracões arrive to an end. At least for Rio's major Escolas de Samba. These will have a new address and a whole center devoted to the production of their carnival. To welcome them, it has been necessary to find a big place. And it could not be anywhere. The Rio's Port Zone (not far from old barracões), the Cidade do Samba was built on a 78.000 m2 surface. Below the 12 m high roofs the carnavalescos now can admire their allegory cars at their natural size, what was not the case before....

The Fábricas do Carnaval

No doubt this has costed money to the City Administration. A lot. But, can we imagine Rio without its carnival? So, it is for a very good reason. It has been an investment of not less than R$ 102.632.241,20 (47.958.991,47 millions US$ or 40.566.103,25 millions €).