Brazil Guide FINAL:BRAZIL 3 19/9/09 17:33 Page 14
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Brasília
Federal District
Brasília and not Rio de Janeiro is Brasília and that gave the
the capital of Brazil. A purpose built opportunity for many
capital city constructed in the heart countries to build state of
of Brazil for a country of the future. the art embassies that
Today the city is a UNESCO World reflect the spirit of their
Heritage Site and famous for its countries.
daring, original and modernist
architecture and innovative urban Brasília’s unique layout is often
planning. compared to an airplane, a bird in
flight, or a bow and arrow. If an
Most visitors to Brasília will go airplane, the principal government Outstanding
there for meetings with the and public buildings are to be architectural features
Brazilian Government. All three found in the ‘fuselage’, while the include the Congresso
powers of the republic are based ‘wings’ contain the residential Nacional (one of architect
here; parliament, judiciary and areas along with a great many of Oscar Niemeyer’s most
presidency. the city’s bars, restaurants and famous creations) that
hotels. A good vantage point to consists of two
It was President Juscelino view the city from is the 28-story-high towers
Kubitschek, Brazil’s 21st, that made observation deck of the TV Tower. flanked by the futuristic
Brasília a reality. If John Kennedy dome of the Senate and the
wanted to put a man on the moon, Running through the ‘fuselage’ is ‘saucer’ of the Chamber of
Kubitschek was determined to the ‘Monumental Axis’ (Eixo Deputies. Through good tour
build Brasília and a new capital and Monumental), which is lined by the operators it is possible to
gave the go ahead to start most important government arrange guided tours of the
construction as soon as he took buildings including the huge Congresso Nacional, the
office in 1956. By 21 April 1960 he Palácio do Itamaraty that houses Palácio do Planalto and
was able to inaugurate the city with Brazil’s foreign ministry. The nose Palácio do Itamaraty, and to
President Eisenhower at his side. of the fuselage is home to the watch parliamentary
The diplomatic - as well as the Houses of Parliament (Congresso debates from the public
political community - also had to Nacional) and the office of the gallery.
transfer from Rio de Janeiro to president (Palácio do Planalto).
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