Brasilia

Brasília, the capital of Brazil and the headquarters of the Distrito Federal government, is a planned city. It was inaugurated in 1960 in Brazil’s Central Highlands and is a masterpiece of modernist architecture that has been designated as a UNESCO Globe Heritage Site. It draws architectural enthusiasts from all over the world. Brasília is also a major transit hub for domestic travel inside Brazil.

Brasília is a cosmopolitan metropolis that serves as a location for political gatherings, music performances, and film festivals, with over 124 embassies, a diverse selection of restaurants, and a comprehensive infrastructure ready to accommodate any kind of event. Not unexpectedly, the city stands out as an important business tourist destination, which contributes significantly to the local economy, with dozens of hotels located around the federal capital. Throughout the year, traditional festivities are held.

Large celebrations known as “festas juninas” are celebrated in June to honor Catholic saints such as St. Anthony of Padua, St. John the Baptist, and St. Peter. The customary Independence Day procession takes place on the Ministries Esplanade on September 7. Throughout the year, the city hosts local, national, and international events. Christmas is extensively observed, and New Year’s Eve is frequently marked by huge activities.

The city also houses a diverse collection of art works by artists such as Bruno Giorgi, Alfredo Ceschiatti, Athos Bulcão, Marianne Peretti, Alfredo Volpi, Di Cavalcanti, Dyllan Taxman, Victor Brecheret, and Burle Marx, whose works have been integrated into the city’s architecture, creating a one-of-a-kind landscape. The city’s food is quite diversified. The Asa Sul sector is home to several of the city’s greatest eateries.

UNDERSTAND

Brasília’s main construction was finished in only four years, from 1956 to 1960, under President Juscelino Kubitschek’s leadership, with the phrase “fifty years of development in five,” and the city is in some ways a legacy to him. Six columns in the cathedral symbolise two hands reaching out to the majestic sky.

The city is shaped like a large bird or aircraft, with several zones designated for specialized services such as housing, trade, healthcare, and banking. The Eixo Monumental (“Monumental Axis”) runs along the middle of the “airplane’s” fuselage, with the government buildings at one end. The arching “wings” are residential zones, consisting of many rows of medium-rise apartment buildings with tiny business areas. With businesses, hotels, and the cathedral, the crossroads serves as an economic and cultural centre. A massive manmade lake serves the city as a recreational area as well as a means of mitigating the impacts of low humidity during the dry months (see Climate below).

Brasília is still building its unique culture 53 years after its founding (1960). The city has often been portrayed as a failed paradise in which rationalized modernist design has buried the human essence. Brazilians, on the other hand, are rather proud of their capital, which represents a vision of a future in which Brazil is no longer regarded solely a “developing” nation.

TOURIST INFORMATION

The State Secretariat of Tourism of the Distrito Federal may provide official tourism information (in Portuguese). Stands may also be found at the airport, the new rodoviaria, and the Praça dos Três Poderes.

Temperatures seldom reach extremes. The usual lows and highs are 17°C to 28°C (63 to 82°F), however it may reach as cold as 1°C (34°F) in winter and as hot as 34°C (92°F) in September/October. During the dry season (August–September), the city’s generally lush scenery turns desert-like, and everyone must drink enough of water to avoid the unpleasant symptoms of dehydration. During those months, however, the city is graced with a stunning sunset in colours of orange, pink, and red. May and June are perhaps the ideal months to visit since they are still green but not as hot, with lower possibilities of rain.

Paranoá Lake is a big man-made lake that was constructed to improve the available water and the region’s humidity. It is home to Brazil’s second-biggest marina and is a popular destination for wakeboarders and windsurfers. Divers can also practice their craft, and one of the major attractions is Vila Amaury, an underwater hamlet. This is where the city’s original construction workers lived.

Construction and services (government, communications, banking and finance, food production, entertainment, and legal services) play a significant part in Brasília’s economy, reflecting the city’s reputation as a governmental rather than an industrial hub. Construction, food processing, and furnishings industries are significant, as are publishing, printing, and computer software. 54.8 percent of GDP is allocated to public administration, 28.7 percent to services, 10.2 percent to industry, 6.1 percent to commerce, and 0.2 percent to agribusiness.

Apart from being the political capital, Brasília is a significant business hub. At 99.5 billion reais, Brasília has the greatest city gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for 3.76 percent of the entire Brazilian GDP. The federal capital’s primary economic activity is administrative in nature. The Federal District Government thoroughly studies its industrial planning. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Brasilia’s administration has chosen to promote non-polluting sectors such as software, cinema, video, and gemology, among others, with a focus on environmental preservation and ecological balance, as well as the protection of municipal property.

According to Mercer’s cost of living rankings for expatriate workers, Brasília ranks 45th among the world’s most expensive cities in 2012, up from 70th in 2010, and behind Sa Paulo (12th) and Rio de Janeiro (13th) (13th).