In 1872, a tramline was constructed to connect Santa Teresa to downtown Rio de Janeiro, which further advanced the access to the neighborhood. The tram ran up the streets of Rua Joaquim Murtinho and Rua Almirante Alexandrino, crossing the Carioca Aqueduct. Initially, the tram was drawn by mules, before it was equipped with engines and an electrified grid in 1896. The tramcars' colours ranged from green, silver and blue, but came to be painted bright yellow after complaints from residents who said that the tram "disappeared" amid the greenery of the neighborhood. The iconic yellow trams or bondes has become a symbol of Santa Teresa.
