TEMPLE OF EMOTIONS – THE MARACANÃ STADIUM IN RIO DE JANEIRO

Built for the 1950 World Cup, the Maracanã was designed to be the stage upon which Brazil – confident of victory – was to present itself to the world. But Brazil lost 2-1 to outsiders Uruguay before the Maracanã crowd, plunging the country into a deep depression. 64 years later, the country has the unique opportunity to redress the balance; the Maracanã will once again be the scene of a spectacular World Cup final. But the Maracanã is far more than a stadium – it is a sacred place, a celebration of everything that makes Brazil what it is: sport, music, religion, unbridled euphoria and unmitigated sorrow. It was here that Pelé shot his thousandth goal, Frank Sinatra, Ivete Sangalo and Madonna held their mega-concerts, and Pope John Paul II hosted the largest mass ever to be held on Latin American soil.