🕵️♂️ Mysteries and stories of Ilha Grande: ruins, prison and legends to know
- Marcelo Alvim Marvim Click
- Aug 20, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 28, 2025
Discover the mysteries and secrets of Ilha Grande: abandoned ruins, a famous prison, stories of pirates, slaves, and legends that still resonate along the trails and beaches. Prepare for a journey into the past!
🔗 Navigation menu
1. Introduction
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1. Introduction
Far beyond its heavenly beaches and nature trails, Ilha Grande holds secrets, ruins, and stories that defy time. From one of Brazil's most feared prisons to legends of pirates and slaves, the island is an open-air museum, where past and mystery coexist with lush nature.
> Prepare to discover the dark, historical and curious side of Ilha Grande – and be amazed!
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2. Cândido Mendes Prison: Imprisonment, Escape and Tragedy
📍Location: Two Rivers Village
For decades, Cândido Mendes Prison was considered the "Brazilian Alcatraz." Built in 1940, it housed dangerous criminals, political prisoners of the military dictatorship, and notorious criminal figures.
🔒 Notable facts:
The prison was closed in 1994 following allegations of torture and unsanitary conditions.
One of the most famous escapes was that of Escadinha, the legendary Rio drug trafficker, who escaped using a helicopter in 1985.
Many believe the place is haunted: visitors report unexplained noises during nighttime walks through the old village.
> Today, part of the ruins is open to visitors and houses the Prison Museum.
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3. The ruins of the Lazaret and its dark history
📍Location: Praia Preta
Before becoming a prison, the Lazareto was a quarantine center for immigrants arriving in Brazil. Built in 1886, it served as an isolation hospital to prevent epidemics.
💉 Fun Facts:
Many immigrants died there, without ever having officially set foot on Brazilian soil.
During the vaccine revolt, it was used to isolate arrested protesters.
Its ruins, with their moss-covered walls and arched windows, make for incredible and haunting photos.
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4. The Gold Route and Slavery in Ilha Grande
🛤️ Historic trail that connects the mainland to Ilha Grande.
Before the rise of tourism, the island was an important point on the gold and slave trade routes. The famous trail from Abraão to Saco do Céu crosses sections of the old stone road built by slaves.
⚱️ Historical impacts:
There are still remains of sugar mills, slave quarters and small chapels forgotten in the forest.
Archaeological studies reveal deep traces of the sugarcane cycle and forced labor.
Nature has recovered much, but the silence of the forest holds back the cries of history.
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5. The City of Two Rivers: From Isolation to Rebirth
The former village, which housed the prison staff, existed in complete isolation for decades. Access was only possible by footpath or authorized boat. With the closure of the prison, the village was abandoned, but today it is beginning to reinvent itself.
🏡 Today, Two Rivers is:
A silent village, with empty houses and ruins that look like something out of a post-apocalyptic film.
A place to visit for hikers and history lovers.
Ideal place for those seeking a connection with the past and deep reflection.
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6. Legends and popular mysteries of the island
🌫️ Stories told from generation to generation by local fishermen:
👻 The Bride of Black Beach
It is said that at night you can see a woman in white walking along the edge of Praia Preta, mourning a love lost at sea.
⚓ Pirate Treasure
Rumor has it that pirates buried chests filled with gold in Saco do Céu Cove. Divers have reported discovering ancient coins among the coral.
🔥 Ghost Ship
Reports from fishermen speak of an unmanned boat appearing and disappearing near Lagoa Azul in the morning mists.
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7. Curiosities that few people know
🧠 Some interesting facts about Ilha Grande:
During World War II, the island had secret military observation posts.
It was planned to become an exile camp for political prisoners in the 1930s.
Until the 1990s, it was forbidden to move freely in certain parts of the island without military authorization.
The island's dense vegetation hides unexplored caves and caverns.
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8. Conclusion + Special tip for the guided tour
Ilha Grande is not just a tropical paradise: it is a land steeped in history, mysteries, and the scars of the past. For those seeking more than sun and sea, it is the ideal destination for transformative experiences.
🎒 Special tip:
👉 How about taking a guided historical tour of the ruins of Lazareto, Presídio and Vila de Dois Rios with detailed explanations and supervised trails?