Rio de Janeiro was the scene
of yet more mysterious signs
and symbols this week as a
series of unidentified
messages were spotted
around the World Cup host
city.
On Monday, the usually
tranquil Leme neighborhood was the talk of Rio as the
mountainside that overlooks the beach was illuminated
with the giant message: #WINNERTAKESEARTH
Mountain mystery | A message above the beach
volleyball at Leme
The following day it was the turn of the internationally-
famous Copacabana neighbourhood, which saw its
central region plastered with the same hashtagged
text.
Guests at the luxurious city hotel, the Copacabana
Palace, left their rooms to get a better view of the
bizarre transmission.
Light show | A symbol on the side of Santa Maria hill
The hill of Santa Marta, close to the iconic Christ the
Redeemer statue, was struck on Wednesday. It
featured a giant circle with a football shape carved into
the centre of the image. Fans driving to the Maracana
to watch Flamengo play Botafogo stopped their cars to
take photos.
"I have lived in Rio since the day I was born and have
never seen anything like it. I'm a little scared because I
do not know what this symbol means," said Carlos
Perez, a Rio resident.
On Sunday, a mysterious hologram of the same symbol
was projected on Rio's Sugarloaf mountain, while
London sports venue Hackney Marshes was gouged by
a three-metre football the following day. The digital
billboards of New York City’s Times Square have also
displayed similar messages.
Rio grand | The city's apartments are overshadowed
by the symbol