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Olympic Sites Both New and Familiar for Rio Games

RIO DE JANEIRO — Visitors to the Rio Olympics will be able to see most of the city’s famed landmarks without roaming far from the Olympic venues.

The city took pains to use its most famous spots as sites or backdrops for the competition at South America’s first Games.

“That’s exactly what we wanted to do,” said Agberto Guimarães, a former Brazilian middle-distance runner who oversees the venues for the Rio Games. “We really wanted to bring those sports to the heart of the city.”

There will be three main sites for the Rio Games.

Most of the marquee events will take place in the Olympic Park, which is being built in Barra da Tijuca, a western suburb about 15 miles from Rio’s most famous sights.