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:

Jul 19, 2025Luna moth
Jun 17, 2025Maritime forest in Cumberland Island National Seashore, Georgia, United States
June 1, 2026Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Oct 26, 2025Pumpkin farm, North Carolina
Dec 7, 2023Verdon Gorge, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France
Sep 3, 2023Skyscrapers in Manhattan
May 19, 2026Formentor Lighthouse, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Nov 17, 2023Copper Falls State Park, Wisconsin, USA
Jul 7, 2024Rice terraces of Mù Cang Chải, Yên Bái province, Vietnam
Sep 16, 2023Splügen Pass, Switzerland
Nov 14, 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
Sep 21, 2024Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany
May 31, 2026Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Jan 17, 2024Eurasian wolf
Aug 4, 2024Impala and red-billed oxpecker, South Africa
Oct 25, 2024Mont Blanc in Chamonix, France
Mar 6, 2026The Wave, Vejle, Denmark
Feb 10, 2025Art Installation of umbrellas, London, England
Jul 16, 2024Skara Brae, Scotland
Sep 27, 2025Tank Lakes, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, United States
May 30, 2026Plains zebra foal in Etosha National Park, Namibia
May 9, 2026Skradinski Buk Waterfall, Krka National Park, Croatia
Oct 6, 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
Jan 22, 2025Ad-Deir, Petra, Jordan
Dec 14, 2023Boreal owl
Sep 11, 2025Peña Falcon rock, Monfragüe National Park, Spain
Sep 14, 2023Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
Apr 12, 2026International Space Station
Nov 25, 2023Toledo, Spain
Nov 7, 2023Kirkilai lakes, Biržai Regional Park, Lithuania