is formed by the National Library of Brasília and the National Museum of the Republic buildings As a venue for political events, music performances and movie festivals, Brasília is a cosmopolitan city, with around 124
embassies, a wide range of restaurants and a complete infrastructure ready to host any kind of event. Not surprisingly, the city stands out as an important business/tourism destination, which is an important part of the local economy, with dozens of hotels spread around the federal capital. Traditional parties take place throughout the year. In June, large festivals known as "
festas juninas" are held celebrating
Catholic saints such as
Saint Anthony of Padua,
Saint John the Baptist, and
Saint Peter. On 7 September, the traditional
Independence Day parade is held on the Ministries Esplanade. Throughout the year, local, national, and international events are held throughout the city.
Christmas is widely celebrated, and
New Year's Eve usually hosts major events celebrated in the city. The city also hosts a varied assortment of art works from artists like
Bruno Giorgi, Alfredo Ceschiatti,
Athos Bulcão, Marianne Peretti,
Alfredo Volpi,
Di Cavalcanti, Dyllan Taxman,
Victor Brecheret and
Burle Marx, whose works have been integrated into the city's architecture, making it a unique landscape. The cuisine in the city is very diverse. Many of the best restaurants in the city can be found in the Asa Sul district. The city is the birthplace of Brazilian rock and place of origin of bands like:
Legião Urbana,
Capital Inicial,
Aborto Elétrico,
Plebe Rude and
Raimundos. Brasília has the Rock Basement Festival which brings new bands to the national scene. The festival is held in the parking of the
Brasília National Stadium Mané Garrincha. Since 1965, the annual Brasília Festival of Brazilian Cinema is one of the most traditional cinema festivals in Brazil, being compared only to the Brazilian Cinema Festival of Gramado, in Rio Grande do Sul. The difference between both is that the festival in Brasília still preserves the tradition to only submit and reward Brazilian movies. The International Dance Seminar in Brasília has brought top-notch dance to the Federal Capital since 1991. International teachers, shows with choreographers and guest groups and scholarships abroad are some of the hallmarks of the event. The Seminar is the central axis of the DANCE BRAZIL program and is promoted by the DF State Department of Culture in partnership with the Cultural Association Claudio Santoro. Brasília has also been the focus of modern-day literature. Published in 2008, ''The World In Grey: Dom Bosco's Prophecy'', by author Ryan J. Lucero, tells an apocalyptical story based on the famous prophecy from the late 19th century by the Italian saint
Don Bosco. According to Don Bosco's prophecy: "Between parallels
15 and
20, around a lake which shall be formed; A great civilization will thrive, and that will be the Promised Land". Brasília lies between the parallels 15° S and 20° S, where an artificial lake (
Paranoá Lake) was formed. Don Bosco is Brasília's
patron saint.
American Flagg!, the
First Comics comic book series created by
Howard Chaykin, portrays Brasília as a cosmopolitan world capital of culture and exotic romance. In the series, it is a top vacation and party destination. The 2015
Rede Globo series
Felizes para Sempre? was set in Brasília.
Architecture and urbanism and the National Congress in spring At the Square of Three Powers, Brazilian architect
Oscar Niemeyer and Brazilian structural engineer
Joaquim Cardozo made buildings in the style of modern Brazilian architecture. The Congress also occupies various other surrounding buildings, some connected by tunnels. The National Congress building is located in the middle of the
Eixo Monumental, the city's main avenue. In front lies a large lawn and reflecting pool. The building faces the
Praça dos Três Poderes where the
Palácio do Planalto and the
Supreme Federal Court are located. The Brazilian landscape architect
Roberto Burle Marx designed landmark modernist gardens for some of the principal buildings. In residential areas, buildings were built that were inspired in French modernist and bauhaus design. Although not fully accomplished, the "Brasília utopia" has produced a city of relatively high quality of life, in which the citizens live in forested areas with sporting and leisure structure (the '''') surrounded by small commercial areas, bookstores and cafés; the city is famous for its cuisine and efficiency of transit. Even these positive features have sparked controversy, expressed in the nickname "ilha da fantasia" ("fantasy island"), indicating the sharp contrast between the city and surrounding regions, marked by poverty and disorganization in the cities of the states of
Goiás and
Minas Gerais, around Brasília. an open area in downtown Brasília. The rectangular lawn is surrounded by two eight-lane avenues where many government buildings, monuments and memorials are located. On Sundays and holidays, the Eixo Monumental is closed to cars so that locals may use it as a place to walk, bike, and have picnics under the trees.
Praça dos Três Poderes (
Portuguese for
Square of the Three Powers) is a plaza in Brasília. The name is derived from the encounter of the three federal branches around the plaza: the Executive, represented by the
Palácio do Planalto (presidential office); the Legislative, represented by the
National Congress (Congresso Nacional); and the Judiciary branch, represented by the
Supreme Federal Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal). It is a tourist attraction in Brasília, designed by
Lúcio Costa and
Oscar Niemeyer as a place where the three branches would meet harmoniously. (Three Powers Plaza) The
Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of the
president of Brazil. The palace was designed, along with the rest of the city of Brasília, by
Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated in 1958. One of the first structures built in the republic's new capital city, the "Alvorada" lies on a peninsula at the shore of
Lake Paranoá. The principles of simplicity and modernity that in the past characterized the great works of architecture motivated Niemeyer. The viewer has an impression of looking at a glass box, softly landing on the ground with the support of thin external columns. The building has an area of 7,000 m2 with three floors consisting of the basement, landing, and second floor. The auditorium, kitchen, laundry, medical center, and administration offices are at basement level. The rooms used by the presidency for official receptions are on the landing. The second floor has four suites, two apartments, and various private rooms which make up the residential part of the palace. The building also has a library, a heated Olympic-sized swimming pool, a music room, two dining rooms and various meeting rooms. A chapel and heliport are in adjacent buildings. The
Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the
president of Brazil. It is located at the
Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília. As the
seat of government, the term "Planalto" is often used as a
metonym for the executive branch of government. The main working office of the President of the Republic is in the Palácio do Planalto. The President and his or her family do not live in it, rather in the official residence, the
Palácio da Alvorada. Besides the President, senior advisors also have offices in the "Planalto", including the
Vice-President of Brazil and the
Chief of Staff. The other Ministries are along the
Esplanada dos Ministérios. The architect of the Palácio do Planalto was
Oscar Niemeyer, creator of most of the important buildings in Brasília. The idea was to project an image of simplicity and modernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures. The Palace is four stories high, and has an area of 36,000 m2. Four other adjacent buildings are also part of the complex. == Education ==