Brasília

Brazil · cities · architecture · planned cities

Built from nothing. President Juscelino Kubitschek founded Brasília in 1960 to replace Rio de Janeiro as Brazil's capital. The entire city was designed and constructed in just a few years in the middle of the Brazilian Highlands, making it one of the world's most ambitious building projects.

Airplane shaped city. When you look at Brasília from above, it looks like a giant airplane. The city's designer, Oscar Niemeyer, created this unique shape on purpose, with curved buildings and wide avenues that form the plane's outline.

Young and modern. Brasília is Brazil's third-largest city with about 2.8 million people, and it's surprisingly rich. It has the highest GDP per capita of any major Latin American city, which means its people earn more money on average than in other big cities in the region.

Moved inland. For centuries, Brazil's capitals were on the coast, but Brasília was built in the central highlands far from the ocean. This move was meant to develop the interior of Brazil and bring progress to the country's heartland.

Futuristic design. Brasília's buildings have curved shapes and bold modern architecture that looked super futuristic in 1960. The city is famous for its striking government buildings and wide plazas that feel very different from traditional cities.