Brasília – Federal District
It is situated in the Central-West region, the smallest of Brazil’s Federative Units and the only one without municipalities; instead, it is divided into administrative regions.
The Federal District has a recent history. It was created in the middle of the 20th century to house the country’s new capital, Brasília. Officially opened in 1960 by then-President Juscelino Kubitschek, Brasília was designed by renowned architects Lucio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The city was built in the shape of an aeroplane, with its two big ‘wings’—the so-called ‘pilot plan’—which contains famous architectural features like the Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília, the National Congress, and the TV Tower (complete with aerial view of the Plan). All of these are concentrated on the city’s main avenue, called the Esplanada or Eixo Monumental.
In addition to the political attractions, other highlights are the City Park and the Paranoá Lake, which is man-made and known as the Mar do Cerrado. It is a perfect spot for watching the sunset.
Outside the capital, the Federal District has several other natural attractions. The cerrado, a type of vegetation specific to the region, is semi-desert, dotted with rivers and impressive waterfalls.
Around Brasília, there are a multitude of farm hotels, great for relaxation, horse riding, swimming in natural water, and enjoying local cooking, which takes influences from all over Brazil.
Local cultural influences are mainly from the northeast—the region where the candangos (migrants who predominantly built the city) came from—and the neighbouring states of Goiás and Minas Gerais.
The mix of modern architecture, concrete, and nature, and the big, wide Cerrado sky, contribute to making the Federal District a unique destination not only in Brazil but also in the world.
