Located on the eastern part of the state of São Paulo in Brazil, the Viaduct Petrobras is an abandoned masterpiece of concrete in the middle of the rainforest. It’s a mysterious huge concrete structure growing up out of the jungle and then just disappearing.
In the 1950s, the Brazilian government embarked on the construction of BR-101, Brazil's longest highway spanning nearly 3,000 miles, but the segment from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo remained unbuilt, hidden within the depths of the jungle.
In the 1970s, amidst Brazil's ambitious infrastructure plans and nuclear aspirations, the Viaduct Petrobras became a key element. The original plan faced challenges, leading to the decision to build the road over the jungle using paths created by Petrobras for their pipelines.
Tucked away in the southern part of the country, the new viaduct was built in the 1970s despite the precarious and inhospitable working conditions: hot, insects, and trees. Located near the southeast coast, amongst the mountainous peaks of Sierra do Mar, this key piece of the ambitious highway puzzle would help to bypass over 30 miles of coastal road from Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo. The asphalted viaduct sits at 40 meters (131 ft) above the jungle and it’s 300 meters long.
However, Brazil's economic crisis stopped the project, and this impressive structure emerging out of the mist was left where it remains today.
Pic: Julio Brunkmann