Brazil: Brasilia DF

Brasilia, Brazil's planned capital, only as old as John, is unlike any place we have been. The city center is laid out in the shape of an airplane (below), with the most prominent public buildings along the center axis, 8 kilometers long. Walking along it seemed like punishment. The vast space in between is inhuman, most people probably wouldn't consider it walkable, while multiple lanes of vehicle traffic whiz by. There is not a more alienating place. I wasn't even particularly impressed with any of the Niemeyer buildings. John was impressed.



The next day we walked to residential sectors. The method of the madness began to be revealed to us. The sectors are organized according to their main purposes, e.g. ministries, commercial, hospital, residential... with ancillary services accounted for. And each residential Superblock is also supported with a Main Street (below) providing services to residents. While the whole model is rather different, at least the residential sectors are relatable. Brasilia was not a complete loss.



View from our hotel terrace to the Monumental Axis (running from left to right). It is, according the Google AI: the grand central avenue of Brasília, Brazil, designed by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, serving as the city's symbolic heart and containing major government buildings, monuments, and memorials, renowned for its wide median strip and iconic modernist architecture, holding a Guinness World Record for its wide median.


National Library of Brasilia (BNB) - Designed by Oscar Niemeyer


MUSEU Nacional da República - Designed by Oscar Niemeyer






Catedral Metropolitana and Bell Tower.






We continued down, literally downhill, along the Monumental Axis toward the iconic National Congress Palace with its 2 "bowls" and twin towers; and Praça dos Três Poderes (Three Powers Plaza) farther down. All designed by Oscar Niemeyer.






The "Os Candangos" sculpture.


The Supreme Federal Court (1st below) and the Palácio do Planalto, the official workplace of the President of Brazil, are not fully open following the Jan 2023 sacking during the attempted coup by Balsonero.




For lunch we Ubered up to Restaurante Boa Saúde, a Pay-By-Weight Vegetarian Restaurant. Tasty!




Malls. Linlin Park gave a concert the night we arrived. McDonald's. Christmas. Upcoming Black Friday or Black "Cesta".














At night we walked to the middle of the Axis to check out the TV Tower and Fountain. Super cool!




The next morning we walked north/uphill on the Monumental Axis.




Homeless Camp.


Arena BRB, site of the LINKIN PARK concert.


Mangos




Memorial JK, building and statue, honors Juscelino Kubitschek, "the 21st President of Brazil (1956-1961) who famously founded and built the new capital city of Brasília". Designed by Oscar Niemeyer.






We headed to the superblocks, with a quick stop at the Caixa Cultural Brasília where we saw "Fauna, Flora and native Brazilians", created in (1953) by Héctor Julio Páride Bernabo.


South Superblocks.










In the midst of Superblock South, there are the amenities of life: The Brazilian Modernist Cine Brasilia, and Igrejinha Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Jardins de Burle Marx, and more boulevards.








And Murals




We bought some tiles at the amazing Museu dos Pisos e Azulejos Antigo. Actually not an official museum, but a family-run shop selling replacement, and antique tiles.


BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)


See you next time Brasilia!