Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Macchu Picchu
Peru • 10 days, 9 nights
Peru: Machu Picchu & the Last Incan Bridges
from
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Saquon Barkley Plaque
Kirkkasik Bedesten inside
Kirkkasik Bedesten
Someshwar Temple
Someshwar Temple
Grilled cheese and tomato soup are soulmates.
The Palisades Restaurant
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
A skeleton on display contemplating its own mortality.
Kid Mai Death Awareness Cafe
This classic London pub has a surprising history behind it.
John Snow
The beef, Guinness, and oyster pie sports a rich, flaky crust.
The Guinea
Welcome to one of the only floating pubs in the world.
Tamesis Dock
This may be the oldest pie in the world.
St Helens 'Oldest Pie' at The Turks Head
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Decoy’s wines reflect the terroir of California.
How a Wooden Duck Migrated From the California Wetlands to a Wine Label
12 days ago
There’s more to the French capital than the Eiffel Tower.
Dear Atlas: What Are Some Non-Touristy Things to Do in Paris?
15 days ago
The plants around Liz Dauncey in this photo are not poisonous, but many common garden and houseplants are.
Are Some of Your Favorite Houseplants Poisonous? AO Wants to Know.
22 days ago
“There may be a collective sense of a dark loneliness,” Dahl says, referring to Norway’s natural landscape.
In Norway, Easter Means Tucking Into Crime Stories
22 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Brazil Rio de Janeiro Terra Encantada (Enchanted Land)
Terra Encantada (Enchanted Land) is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Terra Encantada (Enchanted Land)

Plagued by riots, celebrity injuries and a tragic death, this amusement park has been demolished.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Terra Encantada in happier times   Vitor Leite
Terra Encantada in happier times   Vitor Leite
One of the gorgeous, modern attractions that now sit empty   Flickr User: marcusrg
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In Rio de Janeiro nestled smack in the middle of the elite neighborhood of Barra da Tijuca, sits Terra  Encantada. 

With investments reaching the $220 million mark and a promise to employ more than 12,000 people, Terra Encantada was one of the most expensive and modern theme parks to ever grace South America. Unfortunately, the ill-fated park was not long for this world.

Suffering financial setbacks and false starts, the park finally opened its doors in 1998, but was soon plagued with a myriad of troubles. The bad luck streak included an actress being injured within the opening month, a 61-person riot, a street fight between jiu-jitsu fighters, and an employee strike. In June of 2010, after only 12 years in operation, a woman was thrown from the Mount Aurora ride and died from her injuries. The park was deemed unsafe and liable, and the owners were charged with manslaughter.

After the Mount Aurora accident, the gates of Terra Encantada were closed for good, and the fate of the abandoned park and its giant attractions are uncertain. It currently serves as a set for a local soap opera, but the impending arrival of both the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics to Barra da Tijuca threaten chances of the park being left standing, much less reopening.

Update: Demolition of the park began in 2016.

Related Tags

Abandoned Ruins Abandoned Amusement Parks Ghost Towns Disasters Disaster Areas Lost Wonders
Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild Brazil: Rivers, Dunes & the Amazon

Explore Amazon villages, fish for piranha, and cool off in lagoon-covered sand dunes.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Edited By

Martin, whitneykaharick, Molly McBride Jacobson

  • Martin
  • whitneykaharick
  • Molly McBride Jacobson

Published

December 19, 2012

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://untappedcities.com/2012/07/09/terra-encantada-rio-de-janeiros-abandoned-amusement-park/
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terra_Encantada
Terra Encantada (Enchanted Land)
Avenida Ayrton Senna, 2800
Rio de Janeiro
Brazil
-22.986629, -43.363076
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Cascata Diamantina (Diamantina Waterfall)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

miles away

Images of the Unconscious Museum

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

miles away

Cachoeiras do Horto (Horto Waterfalls)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

Places 16
Stories 8

Nearby Places

Cascata Diamantina (Diamantina Waterfall)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

miles away

Images of the Unconscious Museum

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

miles away

Cachoeiras do Horto (Horto Waterfalls)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Brazil

Places 16
Stories 8

Related Places

  • The center square of Pripyat, once home for 50,000 people. After 22 years of neglect, nature has started to seep through the concrete

    Prypiat, Ukraine

    Abandoned City of Prypiat

    The ghost town left by the worst nuclear disaster of all time is being taken over by nature and urban explorers.

  • Near Lake Arrowhead, California

    SkyPark at Santa's Village

    Costumed elves and mountain bikers co-exist peacefully at this abandoned Christmas-themed adventure park.

  • Prypiat, Ukraine

    Prypiat Amusement Park

    This attraction was abandoned after the Chornobyl disaster.

  • The hypocenter and surrounding devastation immediately after the detonation of the bomb

    Hiroshima, Japan

    Hiroshima's Hypocenter

    A plaque marks the site directly below the mid-air detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima.

  • Inside the church in 2006

    Angahuan, Mexico

    Viejo San Juan Parangaricutiro

    This church, buried halfway in lava rock, is all that remains of a Mexican village destroyed by a volcano.

  • Cabin made of old railroad ties.

    Carlin, Nevada

    Palisade

    Little is left of this formerly bustling railroad junction on the Transcontinental Railroad.

  • Malo Grablje, Croatia

    Abandoned Village of Malo Grablje

    This deserted town in the hills of Croatia’s "party island" may have a scandalous connection to King Henry VIII.

  • Argonne, South Dakota

    Argonne Ghost Town

    Once a thriving town of 100, Argonne was abandoned around 1970.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.