The most renowned Carnival in the world with its luxurious Samba Schools
Carnival, which takes place throughout Brazil, is a moveable feast that is tied to the religious Calendar. It is a traditional pre-Lenten celebration which ends on Ash Wednesday.

Carnival in Brazil : the Sambodromo
The centerpiece of Carnaval in Rio is the Sambódromo, where the grand parades take place. This huge concrete edifice is located near the old Praça Onze where the first real parades began near the turn of the century. It was designed in 1983 by Oscar Niemeyer, the architect responsible for the design of Brasilia (the capital of Brazil, inaugurated in 1960.) Interestingly, the Sambódromo serves as an elementary school the rest of the year. Officially named the “Passarela de Samba,” it is always referred to as the “Sambódromo” (samba-dervish) or “Sambadrome” by English speaking people. It is so-called, not only for the way the paraders dance there, but in the rapid way it was built, reaching completion in a mere 117 days. It seats 80,000 people and is about a kilometer long. There are speaker embankments at regular intervals located along the length of the passageway, to facilitate hearing the singers and instrumentalists of the groups parading. It ends at the “Praça Apoteose” (Apotheosis Plaza), where the famous arch is. This towering 3-legged structure exemplifies the genius of Niemeyer. It suggests, in a remarkably simple, stately way, the grace of feminine hips dancing the samba.