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Brasφlia
Yuri Gagarin, Russian Cosmonaut, and first man in space The above statement by Yuri Gagarin perfectly sums up the impressions of many visitors to Brasφlia. The city is unique . . . unlike any other city on earth. It is famous for its unusual buildings, built in a futuristic style which makes the city look like background scenery for an episode of Star Trek. In 1987, UNESCO added Brasφlia to their list of World Heritage sites because of its modern architecture and layout [Footnote 1]. Most cities begin as a small villages, then grow to become towns – and eventually grow big enough to become a city after many decades. But Brasφlia is special. In 1957 it was a vast empty plot of land . . . and three years later it was the site of a brand new city, and Brazil’s new official capital.
The city was proposed by the Brazilian president, Juscelino Kubitschek, and its design was produced by a team of famous Brazilian architects and planners. The architect was Oscar Niemeyer; the urban planner was Lucio Costa; and the landscape architect was Burle Marx. The city was built by a huge workforce of hundreds of thousands of people.
Brasφlia sounds as if it would be an interesting place – but it is sometimes criticized by the people who live or visit there. They say that the city isn’t a very nice place to live because it seems sterile and boring. The city is very spread out, meaning that it is often too far to walk from one place to another, and there are few trees to provide shelter from the hot sun. Brasφlia lacks the fun and excitement of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil’s previous capital) or the cosmopolitan feel of Sπo Paulo (Brazil’s largest city) [Footnote 2]. Some people say that Brasφlia’s jetliner shape merely represents the fastest way to get out of the city. These criticisms may be justified, but other residents are very proud of their city and say that they wouldn't want to live anywhere else. They cite Brasφlia's large open areas, its comparative safety, clean environment, and planned design as positive aspects for the city. It's big and modern without feeling cramped or overcongested. Nearby lakes and parkland are popular places for people to relax and picnic. Brasφlia had many problems in the years following its inauguration. The government administration changed, and the country faced economic and political crises which forced construction on the city to a standstill. The Brazilian government had difficulties getting people to move to Brasφlia, and had to double the salaries of public officials and workers to convince them that it was worthwhile moving. Many officials chose to live in Brasφlia during the week, but spent weekends and holidays in Rio de Janeiro or elsewhere. Fortunately, the story in Brasφlia today is different – and the city appears to have come of age. Very few people travel out of the city in weekends. Instead they stay to take advantage of the increasing number of recreational facilities available. Brazil's economy has improved greatly in recent years, and visitors to Brasφlia will also notice that the city is continuing to expand with many more new buildings under construction. This expansion seems set to continue, and many investors have purchased land surrounding the city, anticipating that its value will increase substantially. Brasφlia is one of the cleanest and safest feeling places in Brazil. At the end of 1997, plans were unveiled for new presential buildings and a visitors' complex to be built on the shores of Lago do Paranoß. A long-delayed subway system is also due to become operational soon, improving public transport within the city. There are several smaller town, or "satellite centres" surrounding the main city of Brasφlia. Some critics refer to these as "anti-Brasφlias" because they aren't very modern or futuristic. House prices in the city are high, so many people choose to live in these smaller centres. Although there are nice houses, this is generally where the area's poorer residents are found. The centres are less developed than the main city, so far lacking the large open spaces and green areas so important in Brasφlia's original design. Differences between Brasφlia and the worst sections of its surrounding satellites seem representative of the huge gap between rich and poor which exists in Brazil. Brasφlia is also a great place for visitors to spend a few days, although they should also be aware that hotel prices are very expensive. Some of the city's architecture is stunning – particularly the city's cathedral, with a shape representing the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ, and walls of stained glass. A similar effect is also used at the Sanctuary Dom Bosco, although it is a rectangular structure with columns. In both cases, the effect of the stained glass from inside, or from the outside when lit up at night, is very beautiful and inspiring. There are plenty of other buildings in the city worthwhile investigating.
If you take a close look at the lines on a map, you will notice that Brasφlia is located between the 15th and 16th parallels (imaginary lines running parallel to the equator). In 1883, an Italian priest called Joπo Bosco prophesied that this would be the location for the capital of an advanced new civilization. Many religious and spiritual cults have chosen to base themselves in the area around Brasφlia, and claim that they are the new civilization described in Bosco’s prediction. Some towns are full of people who claim to be mediums and spiritualists. Some people even claim that the area is regularly visited by aliens and UFOs. I think that it would be very unlikely for me to see one – but if I do, I’ll let you know. Footnote 1 Footnote 2 |
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"The impression is that I'm arriving on a different
planet."
Brasφlia is special because it is a planned city. This means that, even in its
earliest stages, it was designed to be built as a big city – with roads, apartment
buildings, office buildings, parks, shops and all the other things which cities need. It
was intended as a showpiece to demonstrate Brazil’s place in the developed world
– as a forward-thinking country capable of great achievements.
The city is set out in the shape of a giant jet airliner. The government
buildings and monuments make up the plane’s fuselage, with the congress and supreme
court buildings located at the front of the plane (forming the cockpit). Apartments and
other residential blocks form the plane’s wings. In front of the plane there is a big
artificial lake called Lago do Paranoß.
There is an interesting legend about the city – a prophecy that may be the
capital of a new civilization, and that its people will be the "Rulers of the Third
Millennium".