Cable car and Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Mar 16, 2026

If Rio de Janeiro were a story, today"s image would be one of its most iconic chapters. It captures the essence of a metropolis founded on 1 March 1565 to protect Guanabara Bay and control the trade of brazilwood. Since then, it has evolved from a military settlement into a cultural centre, from a strategic port into a national symbol. The city has faced invasions, fires and major political shifts, yet has repeatedly turned challenges into urban expression. Today, the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro is among the most recognisable cityscapes in the world.

© f11photo/Shutterstock

palette

Today in History

Mar 16, 2024Eurasian blue tit, United Kingdom
Mar 16, 2025A kingfisher perched on a branch

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 20, 2024Pont de pierre, Bordeaux, France
Jul 11, 2025Tokyo at sunrise, Japan
Feb 2, 2024Alpine marmot
Oct 21, 2025Cap dAntibes, Provence-Alpes-Côte dAzur, France
Nov 15, 2023Rapa Valley in Sarek National Park, Sweden
Aug 29, 2025Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
Oct 24, 2024Bodie State Historic Park, California, United States
Jan 17, 2025Brown pelican, San Diego, California, United States
Mar 5, 2026Evening over Göreme, Cappadocia, Türkiye
Nov 11, 2023Val di Funes, South Tyrol, Italy
Oct 11, 2024Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia, Canada
Dec 12, 2023Poinsettias
Mar 1, 2026Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
Aug 23, 2023Skógafoss waterfall, Iceland
Apr 17, 2024Black bear cub emerges into spring
Sep 28, 2024Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida, USA
Apr 15, 2025Castillo de La Calahorra, Granada, Spain
Apr 28, 2025Impala in Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Nov 23, 2023Teide National Park, Tenerife, Canary Islands
May 21, 2025Tea garden at Yangjiatang Village, Songyang County, China
Dec 27, 2023Kirkjufell, Iceland
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, United States
Aug 17, 2025Lyngvig Lighthouse, Hvide Sande, Denmark
Aug 15, 2026Infinity Bridge in Stockton-on-Tees, England
Oct 31, 2023Pumpkins and squashes
July 10, 2026Lemon shark pup in mangrove forest, Eleuthera, Bahamas
May 26, 2024Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington, USA
Jan 4, 2025Bản Giốc – Detian Falls, Vietnam
Nov 3, 2025Jellyfish, Guerrero, Mexico
Nov 20, 2025Chapada Diamantina, Bahia, Brazil