Morro do Archer

Visiting Morro do Archer is a beautiful way to connect with the history of the Tijuca Forest. Occupied in the early 19th century by nobles and foreigners arriving in the city fleeing the Napoleonic wars, Alto da Boa Vista offered a mild climate to the new occupants. They introduced coffee planting there, which quickly devastated the Tijuca forests. The region's springs then dried up, worsening the city's water supply problem, which was one of the reasons for reforestation. Morro do Archer stands at an altitude of 817 m, and from there, one can enjoy a beautiful view of Pico da Tijuca. In 1861, Manoel Gomes Archer, an engineer and major of the national guard, was tasked by D. Pedro II to oversee the reforestation process of Tijuca. In just over 10 years, with the help of 6 enslaved people and some hired workers, more than 100,000 seedlings were planted. More than 150 years have passed, and the forest now includes native species of the Atlantic Forest and other exotic species introduced during reforestation. Try to imagine, while walking this trail, the extent of the work that the enslaved people had to do at that time.