Humaitá, Rio de Janeiro

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Humaitá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (In the background are Botafogo, centre, and to the right, Sugarloaf Mountain/Pão de Açúcar).

Humaitá ( 22.956457° S 43.202963° W ) is a residential district in the South Zone (Zona Sul) of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is situated between the foot of Corcovado Mountain and the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon. Neighbouring districts are Botafogo, Lagoa and Jardim Botânico.

The name of the district commemorates the Battle of Humaitá in southern Paraguay, fought during the War of the Triple Alliance in August 1868.

Rua Viuva Lacerda, Humaitá, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Corcovado Mountain in the background).

In 1657, Father José Martins de Matos, Vicar of the Bishopric dedicated a chapel (then recently constructed, on the wooded lower slopes of Corcovado, a site at the end of the street now called Rua Viuva Lacerda) and opened the "Caminho Novo" (new path/way) to São Clemente (St. Clement). Nowadays this path has become a major thoroughfare, Rua São Clemente, which passes through Botafogo and Humaitá.

In September 2004 the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro created a "Pólo Gastronômico" (Gastronomy Precinct) in the area bounded by the Streets; São Clemente, Humaitá, Visconde Silva, Visconde de Caravelas, Pinheiro Guimarães, Real Grandeza, Mena Barreto, São João Batista and Voluntários da Pátria, all within Humaitá and neighbouring Botafogo.