Brasilia, A Realized Utopia. Video Guide To The Capital Of Brazil 🇧🇷 Travel & Discover

Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, is a monument to what the Brazilian people can do and have done. It is a city that points like an arrow into the future. Built on a massive scale with large innovative buildings, it embodies the country's freedom of spirit and imagination. Brasilia is located on the Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, which occupies the Midwest region of the country. In step with the modernist urbanistic ideology of the mid-20th century, the city was created to embody the ideals of a progressive, inequalitarian society. Among the city's numerous constructions, the Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge spans Lake Paranoá. Named for the president who ordered the city's construction, it consists of three 60-meter tall asymmetrical steel arches that interlace diagonally and have a length of some 1,200 meters. According to its creator, the city was born with its own character. Brasilia was included on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1987 because of its architectural works and distinct urban plan, which includes the four aspects of city life – residential, leisure time, monumental and bucolic. The Palácio de Alvorada was the first building to be dedicated in Brasilia in 1958. The name Palácio de Alvorada means Palace of the Dawn. The idea of building a capital in the interior of Brazil is an old one, having been proposed on various occasions since the end of the 17th century. In 1922, at the time of the centennial celebrations commemorating Brazilian independence, the choice of the central western region as a site for the future capital was illustrated by the dedication of the foundation stone several kilometers northeast of the present location of Brasilia, near Plata Atina. Elected president of the Republic of Brazil in 1955, Juscelino Kubitschek made the creation of the capital city a symbol of his policy to improve the image of the entire country, expand industry and undertake major construction projects. The president appointed a commission to determine an exact location for the city and set up an executive body, the Nova Cap, to supervise and ensure the purchase of land and the execution of construction work. That same year Lucio Costa won the competition held for the urban plan of the new city, and his friend Oscar Niemeyer was made director of Brasilia's architecture. Because of the enormity of the challenge, the extravagant scale of the project and the massive resources poured into it, the creation of Brasilia was unquestionably a major feat in the history of urbanism. The pilot plan that Costa drew up for Brasilia was one of great expressive force. As he himself described it, the plan was born of the initial gesture of someone designating a place and taking possession of it, a cross formed by two bars intersecting at right angles. This figure was then adapted to the topography and the natural slope of the ground. Its orientation was improved by curving the arms of one of the cross bars. The layout for Brasilia calls to mind not so much a cross, but a giant bird in flight toward the southeast. The curving north-south axis traces a layout of the wide transportation artery. Along it are the residential zones separated into superquadras, all nearly self-contained. The perpendicular east-west axis, known as the monumental axis, links administrative sections of the new city, which became the official capital of Brazil in 1960. The three-power square concentrates some of the most important buildings in the work and career of Oscar Niemeyer. The Planalto Palace, headquarters of Brazilian presidency, the National Congress, and the higher courts of justice. The Panteão de Pátria, the nation's pantheon, in the form of a dove, was dedicated to honoring the memory of Brazilian national heroes who represent ideals of freedom and democracy. It is named after the president Tancredo Neves, who died before taking office. The square also hosts three important sculptures, Os Correiros, the Warriors, better known as Os Candagos, a work by Bruno Giorgi dedicated to the workers who built Brasilia, as well as a Pira da Pátria, a monument designed by Niemeyer to display the nation's symbolic fire. In the central square, a national flag measuring 286 square meters, shown here, the sculpture Pombal by Niemeyer. The entrance to the Brasilia Historical Museum is located in the three-power square, behind the monument holding a sculpture of Kubitschek's head, the work of José Pedroza from 1960. 20th century principles of urbanism, as expressed in 1943 in the Athens Charter, or in 1946 in the Maneira de Pensar o Urbanismo by Le Corbusier, have rarely been applied on the scale of capital cities like Brasilia. Oscar Niemeyer designed the National Congress during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The complex is composed of several buildings. Headquarters of Brazil's legislative powers, the National Congress building is composed of the Federal Senate, on the right side, and represented by the convex dish, and on the left side, represented by the At the center is a House of Parliament office tower. The most famous buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer can be found in the administrative district. They are noteworthy in the purity of their forms and their distinctly monumental character, the result of an intelligent balance between horizontal and vertical buildings, rectangular volumes and curved surfaces, and the raw unfinished materials and polished exteriors of certain structures. Instead of innovation, Niemeyer went for practicality. Buildings are large, easy to access, each equipped with its own parking lot. Each building has an annex, connected by a catwalk. The original intention was to order the ministries by age. The older the ministry, the closer to the presidential palace. This is why the Ministries of Justice, Armed Forces, and Finance are the ones closest to the president. Over the years, however, ministries have been created and disappeared, and the ordering no longer follows a strict pattern. Among the most beautiful buildings in the urban landscape of Brasilia, on the esplanade of the ministries, is the Ministry of Justice. The Palace of Justice has a formal aspect that refers to the Itamaraty Palace. From the sequence of interrupted concrete arches comprising its façade extend canals in the form of shells, spouting water on the water garden originally designed by Roberto Berle Marx. The Itamaraty Palace, also known as the Arches Palace, houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It stands out from the other ministries in terms of shape. A glazing volume set back from the plane of the façade, with a sequence of arches fully modulated in concrete. The transition between internal and external space is achieved through the landscaping by Roberto Berle Marx. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasilia was inaugurated in 1970. The cathedral is located on the monumental axis, at the beginning of the esplanade of the ministries. Four bronze sculptures three meters high, representing the evangelists, adorn the square in front of the cathedral. The walls of the oval-shaped baptistry are covered by a panel of ceramic tiles, painted in 1977 by Brazilian artist Athos Puccao. In designing a cathedral for the new capital, Niemeyer envisioned a compact and clean concept, a volume occurring with the same purity from any perspective. A bell tower is equipped with large bells, donated by Spain. The Metropolitan Cathedral is a visual framework reinforced by the monumentality of the space on which it sits. Its shape is hyperboloid and structured around 16 curved columns in concrete, weighing 90 tons each. The design recalls hands reaching up toward heaven, with a circular movement that recalls the eternity of ancient designs. The simplicity of the plan contrasts with the daring volumetric and structural design of the building. The modernism of Le Corbusier, who re-envisioned Europe's churches, took root in Brazil mainly through Niemeyer's innovations. The stained glass in the nave is made of 16 pieces of fiberglass. These pieces, in colors of blue, white and brown, were fixed between the concrete columns in triangles of 10 meters at the base and 30 meters in height. They were painted by Marianne Peretti in 1990. Three sculptures of angels suspended by steel cables are the work of Alfredo Ceschiatti with the help of Dante Croce from 1970. The cultural complex of the Republic is formed by the National Library of Brasilia and the National Museum of the Republic. It is situated on the Oscar Niemeyer designed the National Library of Brasilia as part of the cultural complex. Completed in 1999, it contains a collection of 300,000 documents, study rooms and an auditorium. The National Museum of the Republic consists of a 14,500 square meter exhibition area, two 780 seat auditoriums and a laboratory. The space is covered with a dome with ramps leading to the entrance. The building is mainly used to display temporary art exhibits. The Dom Bosco Sanctuary Brasilia is one of the city's cultural attractions. Dom Bosco was an Italian saint and the founder of the Order of Salesians. In 1883 he had a dream, which is believed by many to be a prophecy of the building of the city of Brasilia. In the dream, Dom Bosco saw a city in the new world. This city was a utopian paradise, a capital city of a great nation and a model for the future. He believed that this great city would rule the nation justly and make sure that all the country's people had enough of everything they needed. Dom Bosco's dream was a major inspiration for the building of the city of Brasilia, which sits right between the 15th and 20th parallels. The Dom Bosco Sanctuary Brasilia was built right on the 15th parallel in honor of his dream. The walls inside the sanctuary are made of purple and blue vitral, a type of stained glass. The vitral allows light from outside the church to filter in. During the daytime, the stained glass bathes the interior of the sanctuary in a blue haze. It is truly spectacular and well worth the trip to the sanctuary just to stand inside and experience the lighting. Our Lady of Fatima Church was the first church to be built in Brasilia. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, it looks like a cross between a nun's wimple and a marquee. The outside walls are decorated with a panel of blue tiles, the work of Brasilia artist Atos Pucall. The new city of Brasilia and the residential arrangement, the Superquadras, gave the opportunity to call STEM Brasilia's head architect, Oscar Niemeyer, to experiment with new urban forms. The idea behind the Superquadra was to explore architect Le Corbusier's concept of a housing unit on a whole new scale. The modernist movement has influenced the lifestyle of city dwellers around the world. Le Corbusier, the architect who epitomizes modernist architecture, popularized high-rise housing, which gave a new face to many industrialized cities. Although some of Le Corbusier's buildings are criticized for secluding the inhabitants from the urban area, the brilliance of some of the concepts he put forward is undeniable. The French architect created housing units that aim to be sustainable by introducing mixed usage, reducing dependence on motorized transportation, and strengthening social interaction. Each of Brasilia's Superquadras was planned to be autonomous, with its own school, playground, and commercial areas. The idea was that no one would need to go away from home to meet their basic needs. While some of Costa's ideas were implemented, the fast and unforeseen growth of Brasilia made some adjustments necessary. Each Superquadra has room for 11 six-story buildings, and commercial sectors can be found between the Superquadras. All the Superquadras have plenty of green areas and playgrounds. However, only a few of the Superquadras have schools, churches, and clubs. Most residents of Superquadras belong to the middle class, and rather than using the services offered nearby, they prefer to go elsewhere for schools, leisure, and shopping. Although church and state are separate in Brazil, and by law there is freedom of religious belief and expression, a close relationship exists between the Catholic Church and the state. Brazilian Catholicism has always coexisted, generally in relative harmony, with other religions, including those of the nation's indigenous people, African religions brought to Brazil by slaves, European Spiritism, and various Protestant denominations. One of the most impressive buildings in the city, from a religious point of view, is the Utopian Legion of Goodwill Temple, a seven-sided, seven-story pyramid, topped by what sources call the world's largest crystal. Granite spirals adorn the floors of the church's interior. Whether or not these have spiritual significance, they make for a unique and interesting decoration. Nowadays, few people believe that pyramid-shaped buildings naturally focus, concentrate, and release positive energy from our bodies to the world, as the temple's founders did. It is said that the best way to experience the temple is to walk slowly toward the crystal barefoot, meditating as you go, and then walk slowly making your way back out, stopping now and then to meditate. The Brasilia JK Museum and Memorial is one of Oscar Niemeyer's most distinctive creations. As a highlight of the monumental access, this building is homage to the driving force and founder of Brasilia, President Juscelino Kubitschek, also known simply as JK. The memorial's halls host the museum, with pictures, documents, and personal objects related to the life of JK, and the mortuary chamber with the ex-president's tomb. During the military coup of 1964, Oscar Niemeyer was exiled from Brazil and spent time working in Europe. Niemeyer chose exile for many years, mostly in Paris. Because he was an architect above all else, and architects like to build, Niemeyer continued to design projects for Brazilian clients. The most surprising of these buildings is the gigantic and rather terrifying 1971 General Army Headquarters in Brasilia. In Brasilia, the use of reinforced concrete to form curves, or as a shell, and the unique use of the aesthetic possibilities of the straight line, were translated into factories, skyscrapers, exhibition centers, residential areas, theaters, temples, head office buildings for public and private sector companies, universities, clubs, hospitals, and buildings for various social schemes. The constant presence of Oscar Niemeyer on the scene of international contemporary architecture from 1936 until the present time has transformed him into a symbol of Brazil. Located inside the city's pilot plan, the Parque da Cidade, or City Park, extends over 4 million square meters. It is also known as Rogério Pitón Farias Park and Ser Kubitschek Park. The Ser Kubitschek Park is Brasilia's oldest public park, renamed in honor of the wife of the city's founder, Juscelino Kubitschek. It is an enormous park, more than 4 million square meters, making it much larger than Central Park in New York City. This park was part of the original design of the city of Brasilia drawn up in the 1950s. The landscaping was all designed by landscaper Althaus Buchau. Buchau was one of the architectural geniuses, along with Oscar Niemeyer, who created the physical city of Brasilia. The park contains lakes, open areas of native vegetation, forests and public areas. The area around Brasilia is classified as a tropical savanna climate and closely borders a subtropical highland climate, showing many of the eternal spring features of that climate. The individual seasons are defined according to the degree of humidity of the air. One season is dry, while the other one is comparatively humid. A day at Ser Kubitschek Park is a wonderful way to relax after exploring the sights of Brasilia. Sporting events are held there year-round. Equipped with sports courts, a horse track, a racing cart track, skate tracks, playgrounds for children, bicycle tracks and trails for walks and jogging, the city park attracts hundreds of people every day, especially on weekends. Brasilia is a city for people, with generous open spaces everywhere, designed so that its residents could see the horizon, feel the breeze and be part of nature. Brasilia is the most complete example of the form of urban planning prevalent until the 1970s. Construction took just three years, from 1957 to 1960, following a government initiative to create Brazil's capital, at a time when cities played a prime role in the construction of national territories, especially in the countries of the south. This city remains the unique case of a total planning approach, an end-of-spectrum example valuable as a reference.