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Guanabara Bay and the Islands of Rio de Janeiro
The good news is that there are lots of charts of the City of Rio. The history of Rio de Janeiro is fascinating and it is well documented in manuscripts and maps, by the Portuguese, French, Dutch, English and after Independence, by the Brazilian government and private individuals. I doubt that there is any other city in the Americas -- and I include even the very historic cities of Mexico and Lima -- which has as much detailed historical information from such a variety of sources, as does Rio de Janeiro. I would also like to add that Rio is much older than any American or Canadian city, being founded in 1567 even though it had been explored and occupied by Europeans even earlier.
For the purposes of this page, I am only concerned with the old, historic center of Rio. All maps forcus on this area; a retangle from the Morro da Conceiçao and port area to the Ilha das Cobras, down to the Ponto do Calabuço (or Calabouço)near Santa Luzia church, and back to the Lapa and Arcos area. This is a little over 3 square kilometers and it is the heart of Colonial and Imperial Rio de Janeiro. Anyway, below is a list of the maps and engravings I have found for the fair city of Saint Sebastian of Rio de Janeiro, with some appropriate comments:
map1567f - Early engraving showing Portugueses attaching French Anartica.
map1599d - Dutch fleet in Rio. The Dutch thought the Portuguese were not taking their colony very seriously, and were ready to move in. In fact, they did ocupy a great deal of land in the Northeast and North of Brazil for a generation. This image shows a visit from the Dutch fleet, dated 1599.
map1600r - A 1600 view of the entrance to "Rio Janeiro". Origin unknown.
map1600s - Claye's map of Guanabara Bay, around 1600
map1602n - Van Noort map of Guanabara Bay
map1624r - Old engraving of Rio Genero from 1624. First to show details of the city and its churches and fortifications.
map1626s - Rio de Janeiro and bay, by Albernas
map1650r - The Dutch again, showing "Cacrt van Rio de Ianeiro in Brasyl", from a Dutch engraving (Sec XVII). Notice Governor's Island.
map1666d - View of "French Antartica" (rio de Janeiro) by du Val, from Giographie Ancienne. The French also wanted Rio, and twice ocuppied it, establishing the colony known as "Antartic France".
The above map was on Ebay and I gave up after $120. At the beginning of the year I promised I would not put any more maps on this site that weren't detailed (ie, everything readable). Even so, I still save maps such as this, as a record, hoping that one day I will be able to buy an original or get my hands on a high-resolution, detailed version of it.
map1699f - Rio de Janeiro and bay, by Francois Froger
map1700ss - This is the most common early map of Rio, from around 1700. There are several versions of it. It show the main points, as well as islands, fortifications and indian settlements. Notice "Acarioca", which became the name for the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro, and Pao de Sucar (Sugarloaf) with the "old city" below it. Initial the city of Rio was usually known as Sao Sebastiao, only. Rio de janeiro was usually used to refer to the bay, as shown in this map.
map1717k - Rio de Janeiro and bay, by Keulens
map1751 - Plan de la Baye et Du Porto de Rio Janeiro. I have three versions of this French map, the best is from a 1776 edition (on the right). It is a great, detailed map showing islands. Notice early references to Copa Cabana, Irmaos and Gavea mountains, as well as Tijuca.
map1764c - A rather primitive Spanish map (by Castro) of Guanabara Bay, highlighting the fortifications. Rio does appear to have been a walled city. Why is this never mentioned? Anyway I count 9 fortifications (plus 2 not finished) with a total of 230 cannon. The biggest one is Castelo with 60 cannons. A great map from the US Library of Congress, Map Division.
map1775j - It is 1775 and Rio de Janeiro has been the Capital of Brazil colony since 1763 (transferred from Salvador). Rio is now growing rapidly and new areas are being occupied.
map1780j- Plana del Puerto del Rio Janeiro (1888x1500). Rio is surrounded by four structures (A,B,C D) mostly convents and forts. Only the "Convento de Santo Antonio" (D) is not fortified (no tiene fortaleza)
map1787s - The Australia connection. In 1787 a large English fleet visited Rio on its way to Downunder, filled with convicts and colonists (often one and the same) being sent to establish what is now known as Australia. This became known as the "First Fleet". One of the major ships in the fleet was the Sirius, which left a multitude of records about the visit.
map1787s2 - Sketch of entrance to Rio, from Sirius. Notice Sugarloaf and the fortifications at the entrance of the Bay. By the mid 18th century Rio was one of the best guarded cities in the world, with more than a dozen fortresses. The idea was to aviod any repeat of a visit like that of Mr Duguay Trouin in 1714.
map1792b - from John Barrows "A Voyage to Cochinchina", 1792. Funny. I must have forgot that the term "conchichina" was used in English. It is very common in Portuguese, and is used in the sense of "ends of the earth" (or like "Timbuktu"). These images (as those from the Sirius above) are from antique editions of early 19th century boks for sale on Ebay. They go for hundreds of dollars, so I didn't get them. Rio was a standard "Port of Call" for all voyages going around South America to the Pacific Ocean. This, of course, means there are hundreds of ships logs and diaries that describe Rio and the Cariocas. Many of them have paintings (or engravings) showing the city and landscape.
Engravings from Barrows visit to Rio on his way to China.
map17xx1 - Aparencia do Rio de Janeiro, map of Guanabara Bay, unknown date
map1810b - Plan de la Baie de Rio de Janeiro, from “ATLAS HISTORIQUE” to “VOYAGE AUTOUR DU MONDE…..” by Louis_claude de Sulces de Freycinet - Paris, 1825.
map1813j - Plano del puerto del Rio Jeneyro en el Brasil, 1810. A simple remake of earlier Spanish maps of the Bay and somewhat out of date. Map from the US Library of Congress, Map Division.
map1818t - Esqyisse de la Ville et du Port de Rio de Janeiro - 1818?
map1853l - Great map of Guanabara Bay by the English, with an engraving of the view of the City from Ilha das Cobras (Snake Island). The map is from Laurie, based upon a detailed survey by Captaion Hewett of the Royal Navy. The map focuses on the navagational aspects, including currents and locations of different points in the bay.
map1831cb - New Chart of the Coast of Brazil, from Maranham to Rio de Janeiro (J.W. Norie)
map1853m - Two engravings from above showing the entrance to the bay from different directions. Ihave my doubts about that first upper one. It looks strange to me.
map1853x - Detail (1716x1768) of Lauries map of the City of Rio de Janeiro. Notice how the City has expanded along the shore of the Bay to Cattete and Botafogo.
map1856r - Simple map of Rio, without much detail, Colton's Altas of thew World, 1860 edition.
map1860j - Basically the same map as above, this time from Johnsons Atlas.
map1867r - Another great detailed map from the US Library of Congress. Notice the train lines, and that the Campo de Santana is now Campo da Aclamacao. This, to me, is the classic map of Imperial Rio de Janeiro, the city of Dom Pedro II. According to different travellers, this was a city you either loved or hated.
map1867s - Detail.
map1875s - A German map of Rio de Janeiro, by Stieler.
map1878g - A simple map of the bay, with depth annotations. I don't know why I have it as 1878, when at the bottom there is a remark with "1791" on it. The earlier date is probably correct, based upon general appearances. The fact is that maps are sometimes hard to date, for many reasons.
map1879s - A very generic map, notable only for the words "Lunatic Asylum" near Urca (next to Sugarloaf). As far as I know the "Pineu", as the Cariocas call it, is still there.
map1882l - Another general navegational map. One of many, without any special charateristics except the Praia das Freiras (Beach of the Nuns), now called Gloria.The map looks much eariler than 1882, because it doesn't show the urbanization occured in the last half of the 1900s. This is important. because Botofogo, Cattete and Larangeiras already had quite a few houses at this time. In fact, a certain Charles Darwin spend several months in one of those houses, while working on a some book about something.
map1895c - Correio da Manha - Revolution in Brazil. I bought this map in Portugal. It is a suppliment to the story of the Revolt of the Brazilian Navy in Guanabara bay in 1895.
map1896r - Another simple map, showing important points. (999x1000)
map1898b - Another Blochaus map. Ilhas dos Ratos (Rat Island) has finally become Ilha Fiscal. This small island next to Ilhas das Cobras is where the strange green gothic castle is, on the bay near the center of town is. In that building was held the last ball of the Empire, just before Dom Pedro was thrown out and Brazil became a republic. It was probably a true "twilight of the Gods" and maybe even with Wagner playing in the background. Imagine a fancy party, with huindreds of royalty (Dukes, Counts, Viscounts, etc...) waltzing to Strauss, knowling that their world was ending...
map1908s - Stanford's general map of the Federal District, showing railroads, major and minir, as well as those projected.
map1922b - Rio de Janeiro
map1934p - About 1934, from article by Panam Clipper (flyingboat) pilot
map1940s - Map from 1940s. Notice islands in Guanabara bay.
map2000r - Overlay showing changes, 1838 to 2000, My work. (1666x1170)
No islands! A View of the bay from an Italian Magazine
1930s pamphlet A View of the bay from an Italian Magazine
Ilha D'Agua!
The ISLANDS
GUANABARA BAY AND ITS MORE INTERESTING ISLANDS
Guanabara, or Rio de Janeiro Bay, known in the history of maritime discoveries since1502. On its western bank was founded the city of Rio de Janeiro, (to-day the capital of the Republic), offi-cially in the year 1567, although its original foun-dation by the French expedition under Villegaignon dated from 1555. On the eastern bank also, since that remote period, have flourished several villages of catechized Indians, the assistants of Europeans, small settlements which later became grouped together to form in great part the present city of Nictheroy.
Its greatest extent from South to North is of 30 kilometers, and the greatest width of 28 kilometers ; its perimeter, following the curves of the beaches, is of about 140 kilometers.
The narrou entrance, at the southern vertex of the triangle has a width of only 1,5 kilometers on the Atlantic Ocean, and, furthermore, is divided by the islet of Lage into two channels, one of about 600 meters, on the Rio de Janeiro side, and the other of approximately 900 meters, on the Nictheroy side.
Only the eastern channel, between the islet of Lage and the Fort of Santa Cruz, is absolutely practicable, thanks to its depth and the absence of banks, shoals or rocks. The depth of water in this Channel is about 52 meters; farther in it increases to 64 meters, at a distance of about 1 kilometer from Santa Cruz, at the locality known as Poco, the anchorage of warships, and then, farther in it decreases rapidly and subsequently the bay becomes extremely shallow, even in those portions farthest from the shore.
On the west the bar is defended by the Fort of Sao Joao; in the centre by the Fort of Lage; on the east by the Fort of Santa Cruz in addition to the defence provided by forts located on the hills: Im-buhy, Floriano Peixoto and Pico.
In that part of the bay which forms the main anchorage, the depth of water is very regular, so that vessels of greatest draught may enter freely and carry out any movement without danger of grounding.
Numerous rivers, although no really large ones, flow into the bay. Some, however, deserve mention on account of their flow of water: the Iraja, Sao Joao de Merity, Sarapuhy, Iguassu, Inho-mirim or Estrella, Suruhy, Mage, Guapy, Macacu and Guaxindiba.
On the shore of the city of Rio de Janeiro there flows out the small Carioca river, which carries into the bay the only water that has not been captured in one of the city's reser-voirs. In former times the Carioca was a kind of sacred river of the Tamoio Indians, inhabitants of the banks of the bay, who considered its waters excellent, beneficial to the beauty of women and the voices of their singers.
As already mentioned, the bay contains nume-rous islands, some belonging administratively to the Federal District and others to the State of Rio de Janeiro. They are generally very picturesque and sought for picnics. On many of them there exist official establishments or important industries, large country-houses, as also more modest dwell-ings, or the rustic huts of the fishermen. Some have been puchaaed by wealthy, refined people, members of Rio's highests society, who have transformed them into luxurious and artistic retreats, similar to those of Capri of islands of the Archipelago. Two of them (Governador and Pauqueta) are fairly populous, and are like large suburbs of Rio de Janeiro.
Among islands belonging to the Federal Dis-trict, the principal ones, with their areas expressed in hectares are as follows:
5
Covemador 3.0Z2
Cambembe ,.o 20
Pindahys ..
Paqueta .. 110
Brocoio ..... 18
Enxadas ...
Cobras ...... IS
Rijo , ,,.
Bom Jesus Fundao ..92 75
Pinheiro ...... 11
Ferreiros ...
Sapucaia .. 54
Hha d'Agua .
Villegaignon
Boqueirao .
Saravata ....
Lage ......
Catalan ..
Raymundo .. o
Fiscal ......
Of those belonging to the State of Rio de Ja-neiro, the following are the chief ones:
Engenho .... 100 Mocangue ... o Ananaz ..... 9
Concei(ao ... 70 Ajudante .... 7 Cajli ........ S
Tavares ... 30 F16res ...... 7 Caximbao .... 4
Ilha da Velha 16 Vianna ...... t Boa Viagem . 1
There are, however, many islets and rocks, many of which do not even possess a known name. Around the two largest islands (Governador and Paqueta) there are real archipelagos of minute pro-portions.
We are giving hereunder some information re-garding the various islands, which interest tourists.
1. GOVERNADOR.
The largest island in the bay and the only one of any appreciable extent. It is near the inner end of the bay, about one hour's ferry journey from the "Praca 15 de Novembro" in Rio. Its greatest length is 13 kilometers and its greatest width 6 kilo-meters, its circumference being 40 kilometers.
Its name recalls one of the first governors of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador Correia de Sa, to whom it belonged in the sixteenth century. The island is intimately associated with the history of the province and city of Rio, due to the battles fought there between the Portuguese, on the one hand, and the Indians assisted by the French, on the other, which ended with the victory of the Portu-guese and the consequent foundation of the city of Sao Sebastiao do Rio de Janeiro today only "Rio de Janeiro".
Apart from residences, the island also contains factories, shipyards, establishments of the Naval Aviation of the Ministry of the Navy, a refor-matory school, a school for seamen apprentices, a home for mental cases, a powerful wireless-telegraph station, deposits for explosives, also public and private schools.
2. PAQUETA.
This is the second largest island, situated 4 Vt kilometers from the inner end of the bay, and a little over an hour's ferry journey from Rio. It measures 2 % kilometers from North to South, but
the width varies greatly.
Its extreme points are, to the north, the Ponta da Cruz, and to the south that of Imbuca; to the east Castello Point and to the west Lamarao point. Its centre narrows to an extraordinary degree, forming a real isthmus, where is concentrated the island's commercial life.
To the south of this isthmus is a group of small hills, of which the chief are "Cruz" and "Palmeira"; to the north are other elevations, of which the prin-cipal one is the "Morro da Caixa d'agua". These hills, however, do not exceed a height of 50 meters.
The ground is extraordinarily absorbent, so that downpours of rain do not render the ground muddy, thus facilitating walking.
Exposed to the breezes from every quarter, the island enjoys a good climate and this fact, allied with its picturesqueness, constitutes a great attraction.
The coast is very indented, with inlets, points and beaches of white sand, and limpid and calm water. The principal beaches are the Grosso, Sacco da Guarda, Estaleiro, Pedreira, Lamarao, Comprido, Frades, Ribeira, Covanca and Sao Roque. There is a pretty promontory called Castello.
There exist a few chapels and historical dwel-lings, among which those which belonged to the monarch, D. Joao VI, and to the Patriarch of Independence, the great Brazilian Jose Bonifacio, famous scientist and statesman; the church of Sao Roque; the beautiful retreat for feeble children known as the "Preventorio D. Amelia", maintained by the "Liga Brasileira contra a Tu-berculose" (Brazilian Tuberculosis Prevention League) ; teaching and other establishments.
The island possesses communication with Rio by means of ferries of the Cantareira Company, which leave, like those which serve Governador, from the Praca 15 de Novembro. The run takes 1 hour and 20 minutes, and as a rule there are five return trips per day.
One of the places most sought is that in which is located the "Pedra da Moreninha", celebrated in one of the most beloved national romances, "A Moreninha" by Joaquim Manoel de Macedo, a novel which nearly all young Brazilians delight in reading.
For the comfort of visitors, there are small hotels, bars, restaurants, and children particularly enjoy riding over the island on rented bicycles.
3. COBRAS.
On the island of Cobras, connected to the main-land by a bridge, there are the Naval Arsenal dry docks, Naval Hospital etc.
4. FISCAL
. Fiscal island now is connected to the Cobras island.
5. VILLEGAIGNON.
This island, on which for a long time there was a fort, has been connected to the mainland by an artificial sandbank, on a foundation of granite rocks and by a bridge. On it there now arise the magnificent edifices contructed for the Naval School.
6. LAGE.
The island of Lage, about 100 metres long by 60 meters wide, in the middle of the entrance to the bay, is occupied by a fort.
7.. FUNDAO.
One of the islands most sought for excursions,in the bay on account of its beauty and charm, mainly due to the abundant vegetation. It is situated to the south of Galeao (Governador) and has a length of 1,500 meters and maximum width of 800 meters.
On it there is a mango tree celebrated for the extent of its foliage, whose shade covers a circular area of 20 meters in diameter, and which is known as the Mango tree of picnics.
On the island is located a well organized settle-ment of fishermen.
8. ENXADAS.
This island is right in front of the dock of Rio where the Naval School, which has since been transferred, to Villegaignon Island, was formerly situated.
9. BOM JESUS.
The third largest island. On it is the Asylo de Invalidos da Patria (a home for those invalided in the service of their country), with a small chapel, in which lies the embalmed body of the famous General Osorio, one of the greatest names in the country's military annals.
10. BOQUEIRAO.
A beautiful islet north of the island of Gover-nador. On it exist Federal Government munition depots. However, outside zones under the dirprtion of the military authorities there are splendid nieces for excursions.
11. CATALAO.
A high island, with a hill in the middle, covered with thick vegetation, a vast rural property, with extensive orchards.
12. BROCOI6.
Near Paqueta, is the property of Mr. Octavio Guinie, who had constructed thereon a fine country residence in Norman style, and who has also provid-et the island with quays, walks, neat gardens, etc.
13. BAYMUNDO.
A hilly island, covered with vegetation; contains the ruins of a large ancient building, supposed to have belonged to the Jesuits.
14. ILHA D'AGUA.
The Ilha d'Agua, in front of the village of Co-cota, on the island of Governador, is one of the most interesting, as an exhibition of tropical flora On it also exist springs of pure water in grea1 quantity, from which it has taken its name. It IE one of the islands most used for picnics.
The islands which belong to the Stci'e of Rio de Janeiro, on the east side of the bay, are used, in their majority, for large industrial establishments, factories, shipyards, deposits for explosives anj inflammables, etc.The principal ones are the following:
15. ENGENHO.
Fronting the place known as Porto Velho. About 1,2UO meters in length and almost the s.ii-p-e in width. It is hilly and covered with thick vegeta-tion; used a great deal for picnics.
16. CONCEICAO.
Situated to the north of the Ponta d'Areia, and separated from Nictheroy by a narrow but deep channel. Contains various workshops, coal deposits etc. Length about 1,300 meters and width about 530- meters.
17. TAVARES.
Situated in front of Sao Goncalo. Contains various workshops and picturesque places for trips and fishing. Measures about 1,500 by 350 meters.
18. VELHA.
The island of Velha, or of Santa Cruz, fronting Maruhy, possesses a number of residential houses, and country dwellings. It is inhabited mainly by people who work on the island of Vianna.
19. MOCANGUfi.
In front of the Armacao hill (Morro da Arma-cao). Contains naval construction works.
20. FLORES.
Fronting the Morro das Neves, and almost joined to the island of Ajudante. On it is the Federal Immigration Department, known as "Hospedaria de Immigrantes".
21. AJUDANTE.
Near Neves Beach. Contains fishermen's rustic huts. A good place for an excursion.
22. CATO.
At a short distance from the Ponta d'Areia.
Contains deposits of explosives.
23. VIANNA
Possesses well equipped shipyards. The largest island on the Nictheroy side.
Ananaz, Caximbao and other smaller islands are of lesser importance, utilized merely for fishing and pleasure trips, and containing only huts. Boa Viagem, an islet contiguous to the point of the same name, in a district close to the centre of Nictheroy.
Some more information...
This photo will give you a good idea of the general area around the Arches. Notice the Municipal Theatre on the top right, with Cinelandia and the Public Park (Passeio Publico) below it. Notice above the Arches the round Cathedral and the two large square buildings. This is basically where Santo Antonio Hill was.
The Old and New Rio. This is a page about some of the major changes that have happened in the last 200 years in the city of Rio de Janeiro. This includes the building of Rio Branco Avenue, the tearing down of Castle Hill (Morro do Castelo), Santo Antonio Hill and and other significant changes to the old historic center area. I created a map overlay that shows the differences in the city from 1838 to 2000.
Page updated: June 2004
map1567f - Early engraving showing Portugueses attaching French Anartica. 
map1599d - Dutch fleet in Rio. The Dutch thought the Portuguese were not taking their colony very seriously, and were ready to move in. In fact, they did ocupy a great deal of land in the Northeast and North of Brazil for a generation. This image shows a visit from the Dutch fleet, dated 1599. 
map1600r - A 1600 view of the entrance to "Rio Janeiro". Origin unknown.
map1600s - Claye's map of Guanabara Bay, around 1600 
map1602n - Van Noort map of Guanabara Bay
map1624r - Old engraving of Rio Genero from 1624. First to show details of the city and its churches and fortifications.
map1626s - Rio de Janeiro and bay, by Albernas 
map1650r - The Dutch again, showing "Cacrt van Rio de Ianeiro in Brasyl", from a Dutch engraving (Sec XVII). Notice Governor's Island. 
map1666d - View of "French Antartica" (rio de Janeiro) by du Val, from Giographie Ancienne. The French also wanted Rio, and twice ocuppied it, establishing the colony known as "Antartic France".
map1699f - Rio de Janeiro and bay, by Francois Froger
map1700ss - This is the most common early map of Rio, from around 1700. There are several versions of it. It show the main points, as well as islands, fortifications and indian settlements. Notice "Acarioca", which became the name for the inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro, and Pao de Sucar (Sugarloaf) with the "old city" below it. Initial the city of Rio was usually known as Sao Sebastiao, only. Rio de janeiro was usually used to refer to the bay, as shown in this map. 
map1717k - Rio de Janeiro and bay, by Keulens 
map1751 - Plan de la Baye et Du Porto de Rio Janeiro. I have three versions of this French map, the best is from a 1776 edition (on the right). It is a great, detailed map showing islands. Notice early references to Copa Cabana, Irmaos and Gavea mountains, as well as Tijuca. 
map1764c - A rather primitive Spanish map (by Castro) of Guanabara Bay, highlighting the fortifications. Rio does appear to have been a walled city. Why is this never mentioned? Anyway I count 9 fortifications (plus 2 not finished) with a total of 230 cannon. The biggest one is Castelo with 60 cannons. A great map from the US Library of Congress, Map Division. 
map1775j - It is 1775 and Rio de Janeiro has been the Capital of Brazil colony since 1763 (transferred from Salvador). Rio is now growing rapidly and new areas are being occupied. 
map1780j- Plana del Puerto del Rio Janeiro (1888x1500). Rio is surrounded by four structures (A,B,C D) mostly convents and forts. Only the "Convento de Santo Antonio" (D) is not fortified (no tiene fortaleza) 
map1787s - The Australia connection. In 1787 a large English fleet visited Rio on its way to Downunder, filled with convicts and colonists (often one and the same) being sent to establish what is now known as Australia. This became known as the "First Fleet". One of the major ships in the fleet was the Sirius, which left a multitude of records about the visit.
map1787s2 - Sketch of entrance to Rio, from Sirius. Notice Sugarloaf and the fortifications at the entrance of the Bay. By the mid 18th century Rio was one of the best guarded cities in the world, with more than a dozen fortresses. The idea was to aviod any repeat of a visit like that of Mr Duguay Trouin in 1714.
map1792b - from John Barrows "A Voyage to Cochinchina", 1792. Funny. I must have forgot that the term "conchichina" was used in English. It is very common in Portuguese, and is used in the sense of "ends of the earth" (or like "Timbuktu"). These images (as those from the Sirius above) are from antique editions of early 19th century boks for sale on Ebay. They go for hundreds of dollars, so I didn't get them. Rio was a standard "Port of Call" for all voyages going around South America to the Pacific Ocean. This, of course, means there are hundreds of ships logs and diaries that describe Rio and the Cariocas. Many of them have paintings (or engravings) showing the city and landscape. 
Engravings from Barrows visit to Rio on his way to China. 
map17xx1 - Aparencia do Rio de Janeiro, map of Guanabara Bay, unknown date
map1810b - Plan de la Baie de Rio de Janeiro, from “ATLAS HISTORIQUE” to “VOYAGE AUTOUR DU MONDE…..” by Louis_claude de Sulces de Freycinet - Paris, 1825.
map1813j - Plano del puerto del Rio Jeneyro en el Brasil, 1810. A simple remake of earlier Spanish maps of the Bay and somewhat out of date. Map from the US Library of Congress, Map Division. 
map1818t - Esqyisse de la Ville et du Port de Rio de Janeiro - 1818? 
map1853l - Great map of Guanabara Bay by the English, with an engraving of the view of the City from Ilha das Cobras (Snake Island). The map is from Laurie, based upon a detailed survey by Captaion Hewett of the Royal Navy. The map focuses on the navagational aspects, including currents and locations of different points in the bay. 
map1831cb - New Chart of the Coast of Brazil, from Maranham to Rio de Janeiro (J.W. Norie)
map1853m - Two engravings from above showing the entrance to the bay from different directions. Ihave my doubts about that first upper one. It looks strange to me. 
map1853x - Detail (1716x1768) of Lauries map of the City of Rio de Janeiro. Notice how the City has expanded along the shore of the Bay to Cattete and Botafogo. 
map1856r - Simple map of Rio, without much detail, Colton's Altas of thew World, 1860 edition.
map1860j - Basically the same map as above, this time from Johnsons Atlas.
map1867r - Another great detailed map from the US Library of Congress. Notice the train lines, and that the Campo de Santana is now Campo da Aclamacao. This, to me, is the classic map of Imperial Rio de Janeiro, the city of Dom Pedro II. According to different travellers, this was a city you either loved or hated. 
map1867s - Detail. 
map1875s - A German map of Rio de Janeiro, by Stieler. 
map1878g - A simple map of the bay, with depth annotations. I don't know why I have it as 1878, when at the bottom there is a remark with "1791" on it. The earlier date is probably correct, based upon general appearances. The fact is that maps are sometimes hard to date, for many reasons. 
map1879s - A very generic map, notable only for the words "Lunatic Asylum" near Urca (next to Sugarloaf). As far as I know the "Pineu", as the Cariocas call it, is still there.
map1882l - Another general navegational map. One of many, without any special charateristics except the Praia das Freiras (Beach of the Nuns), now called Gloria.The map looks much eariler than 1882, because it doesn't show the urbanization occured in the last half of the 1900s. This is important. because Botofogo, Cattete and Larangeiras already had quite a few houses at this time. In fact, a certain Charles Darwin spend several months in one of those houses, while working on a some book about something.
map1895c - Correio da Manha - Revolution in Brazil. I bought this map in Portugal. It is a suppliment to the story of the Revolt of the Brazilian Navy in Guanabara bay in 1895.
map1896r - Another simple map, showing important points. (999x1000)
map1898b - Another Blochaus map. Ilhas dos Ratos (Rat Island) has finally become Ilha Fiscal. This small island next to Ilhas das Cobras is where the strange green gothic castle is, on the bay near the center of town is. In that building was held the last ball of the Empire, just before Dom Pedro was thrown out and Brazil became a republic. It was probably a true "twilight of the Gods" and maybe even with Wagner playing in the background. Imagine a fancy party, with huindreds of royalty (Dukes, Counts, Viscounts, etc...) waltzing to Strauss, knowling that their world was ending...
map1908s - Stanford's general map of the Federal District, showing railroads, major and minir, as well as those projected.
map1922b - Rio de Janeiro 
map1934p - About 1934, from article by Panam Clipper (flyingboat) pilot 
map1940s - Map from 1940s. Notice islands in Guanabara bay.
map2000r - Overlay showing changes, 1838 to 2000, My work. (1666x1170)
No islands! A View of the bay from an Italian Magazine
1930s pamphlet A View of the bay from an Italian Magazine
Ilha D'Agua! 
This photo will give you a good idea of the general area around the Arches. Notice the Municipal Theatre on the top right, with Cinelandia and the Public Park (Passeio Publico) below it. Notice above the Arches the round Cathedral and the two large square buildings. This is basically where Santo Antonio Hill was.