Holiday in Brasília

About Brasília

Brasília is the capital that emerged from nothing — inaugurated in 1960, built in the middle of the Brazilian highlands to geographically unite the vast country. The planned city is the largest realized project of architectural modernism and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a total work of art: urban planner Lúcio Costa designed the famous layout in the shape of an airplane (or butterfly), and architect Oscar Niemeyer created over 100 public buildings, whose bold concrete forms define the skyline. The Esplanada dos Ministérios, a monumental axis with identical ministerial buildings, leads to the Praça dos Três Poderes (Three Powers Square) — one of the most impressive urban ensembles in the world: Niemeyer's Congress with its two hemispheres (Senate and Chamber of Deputies), the Palácio do Planalto (presidential seat), and the Supreme Court frame a wide square that casts power and modernity in concrete. The Catedral Metropolitana is Niemeyer's masterpiece: sixteen curved concrete columns that rise like praying hands into the sky enclose a light-filled space with three floating angel figures. One enters the church through a dark corridor and immerses into a bath of light and color — a sacred experience, regardless of faith. Away from the monumental axis, Brasília surprises with the Paranoá Lake, which surrounds the city and offers sailboats, beaches, and weekend relaxation, along with a growing culinary scene that unites the cuisines of all 26 Brazilian states in one city.