Founded in 1565, Rio rose to prominence when Portugal's royal court fled Napoleon and re-established itself here in 1808 — a rare moment in history when a European empire was governed from its own colony. The city remained Brazil's capital until 1960, leaving behind palaces, libraries, and an opera house that still anchor the downtown today.
Rio de Janeiro · History
Capital, court, and carnival
How a Portuguese trading post became the heart of an empire.
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