The National Congress at Brasilia
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| The Brazillian National Congress building, seen from the Praça dos Três Poderes |
The most iconic building in Brasilia is the National Congress. As the map of the city has a form of an aiplane, the National Congress is on its cockpit, just behind the Praça dos Três Poderes - the Plaza of the Three Powers - where also are located the Palácio do Planalto, seat of Brazillian Government, in the northside, while at the southside lays the Supreme Court.
The Congress Building separates the Praça dos Três Poderes from the Esplanada dos Ministérios - the Esplanade of the Ministries - , whith its gigantic lawn between the blocks which hosts the Ministries.
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| The Brazillian National Congress building: inside the Senate Plenary |
The Congress Building hosts the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The building consists of an H-form building separating the shells wich hosts the Plenary of both houses.
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| The Brazillian National Congress building, words from Juscelino Kubitscheck, the President who built Brasilia |
The shell facing down is the Senate, because it is considered the closed Chamber, as representative of the States, while the shell facing up is the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies, considered more open as represantative of the people.
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| The Brazillian National Congress building, modernist sculpture |
Both can be visited with the help of guides, including in english, french and spanish. For more info in english, go to http://www2.congressonacional.leg.br/visite/agendamento-en. According to the official site, "The program of tours of the National Congress Palace takes place every day, including holidays, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The groups leave from the Black Hall every 30 minutes. However, bookings are only made for Monday through Friday tours."
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| The Brazillian National Congress building: the Esplanade of the Ministries, seen from the Black Hall |
This Black Hall is accesible from the Esplanade side, through the front ramp.
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| The Brazillian National Congress building: the Esplanade of the Ministries, seen from the Black Hall |
Within the years, the building became small, and so more annex buildings where added, to host cabinets and rooms for the meeting of the various comissions. The tour guide is restricted to the main building, which is the one of greater interest. Both Senate and Deputies buildings are linked by spacious hallways, decorated with modernist pieces of art.
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| The Brazillian National Congress building: Senate´s rooftop |
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| The Brazillian National Congress building: one of Ceschiatti´s angel |
A sculpture represents the Araguaia river, one of the biggests river of Brazil; one angel of Alfredo Ceschiatti, the same artist who made the angels at the Cathedral is there; and the beautiful blue-painted tiles of Athos Bulcão decorates the green room at the Chamber of Deputies.
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| The Brazillian National Congress building: the blue-painted tiles of Athos Bulcão decorates the green room, at the Deputies´Chamber |
Some furniture in the main halls came from the former buildings of the chambers in Rio. It includes historic tables, chairs, tapestry, paintings and some sculptures too.
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| The Brazillian National Congress building: old furniture brought from Rio, former capital. |
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| The Brazillian National Congress building |
The visited guide is advisable for a bit of Brazillian history and better understanding of all the artwork inside.
