Recently, Rio de Janeiro made it on the distinguished list. It’s the first city in the world to be given the status in the category of “urban cultural landscape.”

CCTV America’s Lucrecio Franco reports.

Not surprisingly it has been nicknamed the Marvelous City but now Rio de Janeiro can boast it is a world heritage site.

The title, granted by Unesco – the U.N. cultural body is an unprecedented recognition to a city, for its fusion of man-made and natural beauty:

In 2012, UNESCO announced Rio’s status giving Brazilian officials four years to provide a protection plan for some key features such as the Tijuca National Forest and the Christ the Redeemer statue. The official award comes now when the city most needs it.

It is good news for Rio, as the city and Brazil as a whole, are mired in deep recession. Tourists and locals however said that despite the troubles the city deserves the title.

And it is expected the title will help Rio’s tourism industry. During this year’s Olympics, the city welcomed 1.17 million tourists according to official numbers, but it also showed it needed extra security to cope with high crime and political instability.

But despite Rio’s many challenges, it is in the UN’s words a blend that has created an urban landscape perceived to be of great beauty by writers and travelers and one that has shaped the culture of the city.