Brasilia in the Making

President Juscelino Kubitschek ordered the construction of Brasilia, fulfilling an article of the country’s constitution stating that the capital should be moved from Rio de Janeiro to a place close to the center of the country in 1956.

Lúcio Costa won a contest and was the main urban planner. Oscar Niemeyer, a close friend of Lúcio, was the chief architect of most public buildings and Roberto Burle Marx was the landscape designer. Brasília was built in 41 months, from 1956 to April 21, 1960, when it was officially inaugurated.

From 1763 to 1960, Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil. At this time, resources tended to be centred in Brazil’s southeast region near Rio de Janeiro. Brasília’s geographical central location made for a more regionally neutral federal capital.

The idea of having the capital in the center of Brazil was made in 1891 but was not defined until 1922.

According to a legend, Italian saint Don Bosco in 1883 had a prophetic dream in which he described a futuristic city that roughly fitted Brasília’s location. Today, in Brasília, there are many references to this educator who founded the Salesian order. One of the main churches in the city bears his name.

Brasília is the result of a modern urban project designed by Lúcio Costa.

When seen from above, the city’s pilot plan resembles the shape of an airplane – many prefer to refer to it as a bird with open wings –, although the architect’s original urban concept pointed to the shape of a cross, to symbolize possession.

The city also hosts a varied assortment of art works from artists like Bruno Giorgi, Alfredo Ceschiatti, Athos Bulcão, Marianne Peretti, Alfredo Volpi, Di Cavalcanti, Victor Brecheret and Burle Marx, whose works have been integrated into the city’s architecture, making it a unique landscape.

A scene for political events, music performances and movie festivals, Brasília is a cosmopolitan city, with around 90 embassies, a wide range of restaurants and complete infrastructure ready to host any kind of event. Not surprisingly, the city stands out as an important business tourism destination, which is a rising segment of the local economy, crowding dozens of hotels spread around the national capital.