18 - Tourism

Visiting the Capital of Brazil
B R A S Í L I A

The capital of Brazil, located in the central part of the country, Brasilia is the seat of the federal government: the president (residing in the Palácio da Alvorada, the Brazilian supreme court, and the Brazilian parliament. Brasília is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Building of the city began in 1956 with Lúcio Costa as the principal urban planner and Oscar Niemeyer as the principal architect. In 1960, it formally became Brazil's capital. When seen from above, the city's shape resembles an airplane or a butterfly.

Brasília is located in the Federal District, which has the same borders as the city. The federal district is surrounded by the Brazilian state of Goiás, except for a short boundary with Minas Gerais. The city is not a traditional municipality by Brazilian law.

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 placing Brazil’s capital in the interior dates back to the first republican constitution of 1891, which roughly defined where the federal district should be placed, but the site itself was not defined until 1922. Brasília’s location, it was argued, would promote the development of Brazil's central region and better integrate the entire territory of Brazil.

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’s project is, up to this day, a world reference when the issue is urban planning. The idea of spreading residential buildings around expansive urban areas, of tracing the city plan around large avenues and dividing it into sectors, has produced an intense debate and reflections on life in big cities in the 20th century.

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.