[3] The neighborhood dates back to 1702, when the process of distributing lands began with the establishment of three large farms on the outskirts of newly-minted Rio.

By 1808, the city's elite had begun to build mansions in the parish of Botafogo, giving rise to a small collective of nobles, merchants, and court officials.

With the establishment of a ferry and animal-drawn trams in the 1867 and 1871 respectively, the neighborhood began expanding inland and becoming more dense alongside the introduction of amenities like running water and gas lighting.

In 1903 the last of the original farmland was turned over to build a new home for St. Ignatius School as Botafogo completed its transformation from elite hideaway to mostly-middleclass stronghold.

Attractions include the Home of Ruy Barbosa, the Museu do Índio—which explores the culture and history of the major indigenous peoples of Brazil—and the Villa-Lobos Museum.