Maracanã Zone includes famous Rio icons such as Maracanã Stadium, Sambódromo and João Havelange Stadium (also known as Engenhão), this last one built for the 2007 Pan and Parapan American Games.
The zone is part of the North Zone and is located in the heart of Rio de Janeiro, close to downtown. Outside Maracanã Stadium, there are a promenade and a bicycle path where people exercise mostly in the morning, before going to work.
Maracanã Stadium will be the venue of the Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies as well as the competition site of some Football matches. Maracanãzinho will be the competition venue of Volleyball. The Athletics (Marathon) and Archery competitions will take place at Sambódromo and the Athletics (Track and Field) will take place at João Havelange Stadium. Maracanã Zone will also be the location of 2 Paralympic competitions - Archery and Athletics (Track and field) - as well as the location for the Paralympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies.
Legacy
The Port and Maracanã Villages will be part of the legacy, since they will become affordable accommodation for lower income earners and middle earners seeking to enter the home-owner market. The transformation of the Port area into a major accommodation, entertainment and touristic district, reconnecting the harbor to the heart of the city, will be an important legacy that the Olympic and Paralympic Games will leave to Rio.
