Must-see attractions in Brasília

This square is a focal point of the city design, a synthesis of the ideas of architects Niemeyer and Costa, combining various monuments, museums and…

Featuring photogenic roof ‘dishes’ and twin towers, the Congresso Nacional has one of the more interesting interiors in the city. In addition to the color…

The official presidential residence, the Palácio da Alvorada, is a Niemeyer building constructed in 1958. It was the first edifice in the city to be…

Palácio do Itamaraty is home to the Foreign Ministry and one of Brasília's most impressive buildings – a series of concrete arches towering over Burle…

The Palácio do Planalto, where Brazil's president works, is another Niemeyer design that's worth seeing inside and out. From the curved lines of the…

This landmark white dome, gleaming in the sun, was opened to the public on the 100th birthday of architect Oscar Niemeyer. The inside is softer in grays…

Santuário Dom Bosco is made of 80 concrete columns that support 7400 pieces of illuminated Murano glass, symbolizing a starry sky, which cast a blue…

The 16 curved ribs rising to the crown of the iconic exterior coupled with the light-filled circular interior, which sits under a dome of wavy stained…

Brasília’s most important contemporary museum houses temporary exhibitions in two galleries, an indie cinema, a cafe and a bookstore. Buses 0.103 and 103…

The 75m-high observation deck of the TV Tower gives a decent overview of the city, but it’s still not quite tall enough to really get a sense of the city…

About 45km east of Brasília, near the satellite city of Planaltina, this religious community was founded in 1959 by a clairvoyant, Tia Neiva. It's really…

The visually striking Templo da Boa Vontade was created by the Legion of Goodwill in 1989 as a symbol of universal solidarity. It incorporates seven…

In the northern reaches of the city limits, some 10km from the center, the 30-sq-km Parque Nacional de Brasília is a good place to relax. It has natural…

This bank-run cultural center has several galleries devoted to temporary exhibitions, a sculpture garden, a cafe and theater. The lobby of the main bank…

Down a concealed flight of steps on the praça itself is this museum to the man who designed Brasília. Inside you will find a 170-sq-meter scale map of the…

Inside this enormous memorial is the tomb of former president Juscelino Kubitschek (JK), which lies underneath eerily beautiful stained glass by French…

The lopped-off pyramid of the Teatro Nacional looks somewhere between a waterslide and a skateboard ramp. Inside, sculptures and a garden adorn the…

About 63km west of Brasília, near the town of Santo Antônio do Descoberto (Goiás), is the Cidade Ecléctica. Founded in 1956 by Yokanam, who was once an…

Numismatists will be interested in visiting this museum in the central bank HQ. A detailed history of Brazilian coins and banknotes – try keeping track of…

This tribute to Tancredo Neves, who spearheaded the return to democracy in 1985 but died before he could assume his elected presidency, covers his life in…