"Cidade maravilhosa" (, ''Marvelous City'') is a

march March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. Its length is 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of March. The March equinox on the 20 or 2 ...

that was written and composed by

André Filho Antônio André de Sá Filho, known as André Filho (21 March 1906 – 2 July 1974) was a Brazilian actor, violinist, mandolinist, banjo player, guitarist, pianist, composer and singer. He worked with some of Brazil's most notable performers of th ...

and arranged by Silva Sobreira for the

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...

carnival in 1935. It has since become the anthem for the city of Rio de Janeiro. In the same year, Aurora Miranda recorded a sung version of the song that became extremely popular. The name of Rio, however, does not appear in the song. ''Cidade Maravilhosa'' as a nickname for the city of Rio de Janeiro was coined by the writer Coelho Neto from the north-eastern Brazilian state of

Maranhão Maranhão () is a States of Brazil, state in Brazil. Located in the country's Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region, it has a population of about 7 million and an area of and it is divided into 217 municipalities. Clockwise from north, it ...

as a tribute to the city's natural beauty. He had lived there briefly as a child and for much of his later life. Its title was also inspired by a highly successful radio program of the time, presented by César Ladeira. The anthem was popularized by

Carmen Miranda Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha (9 February 1909 – 5 August 1955), known professionally as Carmen Miranda (), was a Portuguese-born Brazilian singer, dancer, and actress. Nicknamed "The Brazilian Bombshell", she was known for her signature ...

and was declared the "official song of Brazil's new state of Guanabara" in 1960, after being converted into a

samba Samba () is a broad term for many of the rhythms that compose the better known Brazilian music genres that originated in the Afro-Brazilians, Afro Brazilian communities of Bahia in the late 19th century and early 20th century, It is a name or ...

References

{{authority control Rio de Janeiro (city) March music 1935 songs Brazilian songs Songs about Rio de Janeiro (city)