Being a little over 50 years old, Brasilia was the result of a political decision made by the then president Juscelino Kubitschek and its shapes come from the work of architect Oscar Niemeyer and urbanist Lúcio Costa. The city’s modern lines can be seen at several points, like the Cathedral, the National Congress and the Planalto Palace, where the president works.

The city was inaugurated in 1960, which meant that the capital was transferred from Rio de Janeiro to the centre of the country. In addition to concentrating political decisions and being a symbol of national integration, Brasilia should, in Juscelino's perspective, represent Brazilian culture and expression in modern architecture.

The city took three and half years to be built. On the 21st of April 1960, it was inaugurated. Spaceman Yuri Gagarin, first man to travel to outer space, while visiting Brasilia pointed out: “I am under the impression that I’m arriving at a different planet.”

The city was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1987. It is the only urban centre to be built in the 20th Century and be awarded such a title. Despite being relatively young, the Federal District has a population of 2.5 million and the highest HDI in Brazil, 0.875.

The capital, which has an average temperature of 21 degrees Celsius and is known for the lack of rain between the months of July and September, has a hotel sector considered to be above national average, with 25.5 thousand rooms.

Main tourist attractions

Esplanada dos Ministérios (the Ministries)
Architect Oscar Niemeyer’s main projects are located in Brasilia’s Eixo Monumental, a great big avenue with the ministry buildings on each side. Going eastwars from the bus station's platform, the Metropolitan Cathedral can be seen, as well as the Ministry buildings and the Itamaraty Palace, Brazil’s Foreign Office. Finally, at the bottom of the road we find the Three Powers Square, where the headquarters of the executive branch (Planalto Palace – where the president works), the legislative branch (National Congress) and the judiciary branch (Federal Supreme Court) are housed.

Paranoá Lake
The Paranoá Lake was designed to soften the dry climate of the federal capital city. Canoeing, rowing, yachting, water skiing, windsurfing and stand up paddles are activities performed at the lake. Brasilia is the country’s third city in relation to the number of boats. There are over 11 thousand vessels registered in the city, most of them for sport and recreational purposes.

Chapada Imperial
The Chapada Imperial is the Federal District’s biggest preserved private wood area. There are over 4.8 thousand hectares of ecological trails that may be visited safely, providing all of the necessary infrastructure. Information and bookings on (61) 9965-2461 / (61) 9961-9068 or e-mail ( The reserve is close to Brazlândia, a satellite town 50km away from Brasilia City Centre.

Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park
One of Brazil’s most breathtaking landscape. The Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park is a protected area and inscribed in UNESCO's World Heritage List. The park is also considered a biosphere reserve. Located in the municipality of Alto Paraíso (state of Goiás), the national park's entrance, at Vila São Jorge, is 245km away from Brasilia. It is open for visitation and one may go on a trail, visit waterfalls or simply swim in the river. Alto Paraíso de Goiás, Vila de São Jorge.

Pontos turísticos de Brasília

Brasilia - Tourist attractions

Fact sheet

Population: 2,570,160
Area: 5,780 km² - 96.6% urban and 3.4% rural
Biome: Cerrado (Brazilian Savannah)
Altitude: 1,172 m
Climate: tropical, high-altitude continental, with two distinct seasons: rainy (from November to March) and dry – the latter with low relative humidity of the air, sometimes reaching 20%
Average temperature: between 18 C and 25 C

For further information

World Cup Communication Office (ComCopa)
+55 (61) 3214-2826 / (61) 3322-2902 / (61) 7812-9354

Open Media Centre – Brasilia

Address: Centro de Convenções Ulisses Guimarães - Eixo Monumental, Ala Norte, Térreo
9 June - 13 July, from 10:00 to 22:00
+55 61 3214-2820 //