Itaipu Dam
- Address:Avenida Tancredo Neves 6702, Foz de Iguacu
- Hours:Open daily 8am - 4pm
- Admission:US$15
7:51 AM Saturday, May 26
Fog. Cool.
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Iguacu Falls is not the only natural wonder in this amazing neighborhood. Just 10km (6mi) from Foz do Iguacu, massive Itaipu Dam was, until recently, the world's largest manmade structure (since eclipsed by China's Three Gorges Dam) and is still the world's most productive hydroelectric facility.
The dam is considered one of the World's Seven Modern Wonders, clocking in at 7.2km (4.5mi) long, 65 stories high, with a maximum flow more than 40 times that of Iguacu Falls on a good day.
In fact, Itaipu marks the spot where an almost equally epic cascade was once the centerpiece of Guaira Falls National Park. The "Seven Falls of Guaira" (actually 18 cascades on the Parana River, gushing twice as much water as Niagara Falls) were drowned in 1982 when the dam was under construction.
The national park was dissolved, the cliffs dynamited underwater to ensure safer navigation on the new reservoir, and today Itaipu produces more than 20% of Brazil's electricity.
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Practical Info
In addition to the 90-minute, US$15 Panoramic Tour, which can include add-ons such as nature hikes or visits to the onsite museum, you can book other options in advance, such as the Special Tour (2.5hrs, US$29) that visits the interior of the dam. A light show spectacular is offered twice weekly. Sandals, high heels, miniskirts, and shorts are forbidden.
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