The capital of Brazil is the only city in the world that was built in the 20th century from scratch from scratch in three years. After 27 years, it was added to the UNESCO heritage list. And this city is worthy of it.
Brazilian capital
The most valuable thing that the first Portuguese discovered on the lands of South America was the pau-brazil mahogany. According to one version, it (from Portuguese "brazil" means "heat") and gave a new name to the country. The capital of Brazil is called exactly the same. In Russian, so as not to get confused, the city is written with an "a" at the end - Brasilia.
First capitals
The first capital of this South American country was El Salvador. In this city, in northeastern Brazil, in the middle of the 16th century, the Portuguese established tobacco and sugarcane plantations, to which slaves from Africa began to be imported.
In 1763, the Brazilians moved the capital from the northeast coast to the southeast - to Rio de Janeiro. But it became more and more inconvenient to manage huge territories from the outskirts. Yes, and Rio de Janeiro grew, became cramped, uncomfortable, surrounded by the slums of the poor. So the question of building a new capital has matured.
The then president, Juselino Kubitschek de Oliveira, took over. This was an unusual politician. He promised the Brazilians in his five years of rule such a leap in the economy that others would need 50 years. One of the points of his "Fast Leap Forward Program" was the construction of a new capital - a symbol of transformation. This part of the program was completed in three years.
Seat selection
The place for the new capital was chosen on a plateau in the center of the Brazilian Highlands, at an altitude of 1158 m. This plateau is considered the core of the South American continent. It is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Amazonian lowland, occupies almost the entire country. Savannas and tropical woodlands dominate here. Dark green forests cross the savannah along the ravines and river plains. Rivers of the Brazilian Highlands - with waterfalls and rapids.
Capital image
The general plan of the city was developed by Lucio Costa, who is called the father of modern Brazilian architecture. The capital was conceived to be comfortable for life. Spacious, comfortable, without dirty air and poverty. The Brazilians themselves called it “another planet”.
From the height of Brasilia, it resembles an airplane. In the center, the "cabin", is the triangular square of the Three Powers. In its corners there are government buildings with original architecture. Not far away is the Cathedral, and next to it there is a theater that resembles an Egyptian pyramid.
The "trunk" of the capital is the quarters with state and public buildings, and the "wings" are residential buildings with no more than six floors. All houses are strictly oriented to the cardinal points and stand on supports - you can walk and drive under them.
Initially, Brasilia was designed for comfortable accommodation of 50 thousand people. Currently, its population is more than 2.5 million people.
