The Palácio do Planalto () in

Brasília Brasília (; ) is the federal capital of Brazil and seat of government of the Federal District. The city is located at the top of the Brazilian highlands in the country's Central-West region. It was founded by President Juscelino Kubitsche ...

is the official workplace of the

president of Brazil The president of Brazil ( pt, Presidente do Brasil), officially the president of the Federative Republic of Brazil ( pt, Presidente da República Federativa do Brasil) or simply the ''President of the Republic'', is the head of state and head o ...

.Palácio do Planalto
Presidency of Brazil. Retrieved on 2009-07-19. . The building was designed by architect

Oscar Niemeyer Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho (15 December 1907 – 5 December 2012), known as Oscar Niemeyer (), was a Brazilian architect considered to be one of the key figures in the development of modern architecture. Niemeyer was ...

in 1958 and inaugurated on April 21, 1960. It has been the workplace of every Brazilian president since

Juscelino Kubitschek Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira (; 12 September 1902 – 22 August 1976), also known by his initials JK, was a prominent Brazilian politician who served as the 21st president of Brazil from 1956 to 1961. His term was marked by economic prosp ...

. It is located at the

Praça dos Três Poderes Praça dos Três Poderes (; ''Three Powers Plaza'') is a plaza in Brasília, the Capital (political), capital of Brazil. The name is derived from the presence of the three governmental powers around the plaza: the Executive (government), Executive, ...

(Three Powers Plaza), to the east of the

National Congress of Brazil The National Congress of Brazil ( pt, Congresso Nacional do Brasil) is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government. Unlike the state legislative assemblies and municipal chambers, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senat ...

and across from the

Supreme Federal Court The Supreme Federal Court ( pt, Supremo Tribunal Federal, , abbreviated STF) is the supreme court (court of last resort) of Brazil, serving primarily as the Constitutional Court of the country. It is the highest court of law in Brazil for consti ...

. It is one of the official palaces of the Presidency, along with the

Palácio da Alvorada The Palácio da Alvorada () is the official residence of the President of Brazil. It is located in the national capital of Brasília, on a peninsula at the margins of Paranoá Lake. The building was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and built between ...

, the official residence. Besides the President, other high ranking government officials also work from the ''Planalto'', including the

Vice President A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on t ...

and the

Chief of Staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...

; the other government ministry buildings are located on the

Ministries Esplanade The Monumental Axis ( pt, Eixo Monumental) is a central avenue in Brasília's city design. The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Espla ...

. As the seat of government, the term ''Planalto'' is often used as a

metonym Metonymy () is a figure of speech in which a concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept. Etymology The words ''metonymy'' and ''metonym'' come from grc, μετωνυμία, 'a change of name' ...

for the executive branch of the federal government. The building, constructed in the

modernist style Modern architecture, or modernist architecture, was an architectural movement or architectural style based upon new and innovative technologies of construction, particularly the use of glass, steel, and reinforced concrete; the idea that form ...

, is part of the Brasília

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

, designated by

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

in 1987.

History

The presidential palace was a major feature of the plan for the newly established federal capital, Brasília. Oscar Niemeyer was chosen as the architect of the Palácio do Planalto and the building's construction, led by Construtora Rabello S.A., began on July 10, 1958. The Executive Office was temporarily headquartered at the ''

Catetinho The Catetinho was the first official workplace of the President of Brazil Juscelino Kubitschek. History The name ''Catetinho'' comes from the then official residence of the president, the Catete Palace. Oscar Niemeyer's project, was built in ju ...

'', on the outskirts of Brasília, during construction. The palace was officially inaugurated on April 21, 1960, by President Juscelino Kubitschek. It was one of the first buildings inaugurated in the new capital city, along with the National Congress and the Supreme Federal Court. The inauguration ceremony was attended by several foreign leaders and attracted thousands of spectators, as it symbolized the transfer of the capital city from

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

to the center of the country. The palace owes its name to the

Brazilian Highlands The Brazilian Highlands or Brazilian Plateau ( pt, Planalto Brasileiro) are an extensive geographical region, covering most of the eastern, southern and central portions of Brazil, in all approximately half of the country's land area, or some 4,5 ...

(the term ''planalto'' meaning highland), specifically the Brazilian Central Plateau, where Brasília is located.

2009–2010 restoration

In March 2009, President

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (; born Luiz Inácio da Silva; 27 October 1945), known mononymously as Lula, is a Brazilian politician, trade unionist, and former metalworker who is the president-elect of Brazil. A member of the Workers' Party, ...

ordered an extensive restoration of the palace.Custo da reforma do Planalto aumenta para R$ 103 milhões
''

O Globo ''O Globo'' (, ''The Globe'') is a Brazilian newspaper based in Rio de Janeiro. ''O Globo'' is the most prominent print publication in the Grupo Globo media conglomerate. Founded by journalist Irineu Marinho, owner of ''A Noite'', it was orig ...

''. Retrieved on 2009-07-19. Decades of poor maintenance had taken a great toll on the structure built in 1958.A restauração do Palácio do Planalto
Presidency of Brazil. Retrieved on 2009-07-19. The restoration was completed on August 24, 2010, at a cost of R$ 111 million.Gabinete de Lula ganha vidro blindado na reforma do Palácio do Planalto
G1.com. Retrieved on 2010-08-24. The restoration focused on: installing new electricity, water and central air conditioning systems; complete dismantling of the interior spaces and construction of new interior divisions; restoration of the exterior marble and granite

façade A façade () (also written facade) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a Loanword, loan word from the French language, French (), which means 'frontage' or 'face'. In architecture, the façade of a building is often t ...

; construction of an underground parking garage for 500 vehicles; substitution of the electrical generators; restoration of windows and doors; construction of emergency stairs; and technology upgrades During the restoration process, the Executive Office was transferred temporarily to the ''Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil'' ( en, Bank of Brazil Cultural Center) and to the

Itamaraty Palace The Itamaraty Palace (), also known as the Palace of the Arches (''Palácio dos Arcos''), is the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil. It is located in the national capital of Brasília. The building was designed by architect ...

Architecture

The presidential palace was a major feature of Costa's plan for the newly established capital city. Niemeyer's idea was to project an image of simplicity and

modernity Modernity, a topic in the humanities and social sciences, is both a historical period (the modern era) and the ensemble of particular socio-cultural norm (social), norms, attitudes and practices that arose in the wake of the Renaissancein the " ...

using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures. The longitudinal lines of the palace are kept by a sequence of columns whose design is a variation of those at the

, although they were arranged transversely to the body of the building. The palace's

is also composed by two strong elements: the ramp leading to the hall and the ''parlatorium'' (speaker's platform), from where the president and foreign

heads of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 "he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and le ...

can address the public at the Three Powers Plaza.Palácio do Planalto
Presidency of Brazil. Retrieved on 2012-03-27. A

reflecting pool A reflecting pool, also called a reflection pool, is a water feature found in gardens, parks, and memorial sites. It usually consists of a shallow pool of water, undisturbed by fountain jets, for a reflective surface. Design Reflecting pools are ...

was built in 1991 to increase security around the palace and to balance humidity levels during the long dry season in Brasília. It has an approximate area of , holding of water, with a depth of . Several Japanese carp live in the pool.

Layout and amenities

The Palace has an area of . The main building has four floors above ground and one floor underground. The

heliport A heliport is a small airport suitable for use by helicopters and some other vertical lift aircraft. Designated heliports typically contain one or more touchdown and liftoff areas and may also have limited facilities such as fuel or hangars. I ...

is located by the north façade of the building.

First floor

The first floor consists of the main reception area, access control and security, entrance hall and press office. The large entrance hall is used frequently for temporary exhibitions on themes related to the

federal government A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

's programs. The hall features a sculpture by Franz Weissman and three sculptures by Zezinho de Tracunhaém. Also located on the first floor is the Presidential Gallery, housing the official portraits of the former Presidents of Brazil. Michel Temer Ministerial meeting

Second floor

The second floor houses the East, Noble and West rooms, as well as the Supreme Meeting Room and Press Secretariat. The East Room is where the President signs decrees and other pieces of legislation. The Noble Room, also called the Mirror Hall, is the largest in the palace. It is used for large ceremonies, with a capacity to hold 1,000 guests. The highlights in this hall are Haroldo Barroso's sculpture ''Evoluções'' and Djanira da Motta e Silva's painting ''Os Orixás''. The West Room was designed for medium-sized events, with a capacity to hold from 300 to 500 people. Due to its ample size and generous ceiling height, it is primarily used for events based on international themes. A large panel created by

Roberto Burle Marx Roberto Burle Marx (August 4, 1909 – June 4, 1994) was a Brazilian landscape architect (as well as a painter, print maker, ecologist, naturalist, artist and musician) whose designs of parks and gardens made him world-famous. He is accredite ...

decorates the area. The Supreme Meeting Room was built in 1990 and is normally used for ministerial, government and presidential meetings.

Third floor

Acervo artístico do Palácio do Planalto 06

The third floor houses the President's office and offices of his or her senior staff. It also houses the

mezzanine A mezzanine (; or in Italian language, Italian, a ''mezzanino'') is an intermediate floor in a building which is partly open to the double-height ceilinged floor below, or which does not extend over the whole floorspace of the building, a loft ...

, a large area composed of waiting rooms and a circulation area between the Noble Room, the presidential office and the offices of the senior advisors. The waiting rooms are decorated with furniture by Sergio Rodrigues and Oscar Niemeyer, and paintings by

Emiliano Di Cavalcanti Emiliano Augusto Cavalcanti de Albuquerque Melo (September 6, 1897 – October 26, 1976), known as Di Cavalcanti, was a Brazilian painter who sought to produce a form of Brazilian art free of any noticeable European influences. His wife was the ...

, Firmino Saldanha, Frans Krajcberg,

Geraldo de Barros Geraldo de Barros (February 27, 1923 – April 17, 1998) was a Brazilian painter and photographer who also worked in engraving, graphic arts, and industrial design. He was a leader of the concrete art movement in Brazil, co-founding Grupo Ruptura ...

and Frank Schaeffer. The bronze sculpture called ''O Flautista'', by

Bruno Giorgi Bruno Giorgi (13 August 1905, Mococa – 7 September 1993, Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the ...

, also ornaments the area. The President's office consists of three separate environments: office, meeting room and guest room. The President's office is decorated with

modernist Modernism is both a philosophical and arts movement that arose from broad transformations in Western society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The movement reflected a desire for the creation of new forms of art, philosophy, an ...

Brazilian furniture dating from the 1940s to the 1960s, and silverware from the

Catete Palace The Catete Palace ( pt, Palácio do Catete, ) is an urban mansion in Rio de Janeiro's Flamengo neighborhood. The property stretches from ''Rua do Catete'' (Catete Street) to ''Praia do Flamengo'' ( Flamengo Beach). Construction began in 1858 and ...

. The highlights in this room are two large paintings by Djanira da Motta e Silva: ''Colhendo Bananas'' and ''Praia do Nordeste''. The meeting room is used for private meetings between the President and members of her direct staff. The guest room is used for formal meetings between the President and foreign heads of state and government.

Fourth floor

The fourth floor contains a large lounge area and the offices of senior government officials, including the

and the Chief of the Institutional Security Cabinet. The lounge area was created during the 2010 restoration and is decorated with modernist Brazilian furniture from the 1960s. Highlights in the lounge include: a tapestry by Alberto Nicola; a draft of

Tiradentes Joaquim José da Silva Xavier (; 12 November 1746 – 21 April 1792), known as Tiradentes (), was a leading member of the colonial Brazilian revolutionary movement known as Inconfidência Mineira, whose aim was full independence from P ...

' bust, by Bruno Giorgi; and Cena Indígena, by Giovanni Oppido. Two large panels by Athos Bulcão are also seen on the side walls that lead to the lounge.

Public access and security

Guarda_Presidencial_no_Palácio_do_Planalto_(35906623615)

The Palace is open to public visitation on Sundays, from 9:30 am to 2 pm.''Programa de visitação ao Palácio do Planalto''
Presidency of Brazil. Retrieved on 2012-03-27. . Guided tours last 20 minutes. During the week, access to the building is restricted to authorized personnel. It is difficult to see the President, as they are often escorted into the Palace through the north entrance or arrives by

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forward, backward and laterally. These attributes ...

. The ramp in front of the Palace is only used during special ceremonies, such as

presidential inauguration A presidential inauguration is a ceremonial event centered on the formal transition of a new president into office, usually in democracies where this official has been elected. Frequently, this involves the swearing of an oath of office. Examples o ...

s and

state visit A state visit is a formal visit by a head of state to a foreign country, at the invitation of the head of state of that foreign country, with the latter also acting as the official host for the duration of the state visit. Speaking for the host ...

s by foreign heads of state and government. The building is protected by the Presidential Guard Battalion and by the 1st Guards Cavalry Regiment ("Independence Dragoons"), of the Brazilian Army. The ceremonial guard sentry duties are rotated among those two units every six months, and a change of the guard ceremony takes place to mark the rotation.

Gallery

File:Arquivo da Agência Brasil - Brasília 10.jpg, Bird's eye view of the Planalto File:06-11-2014 Novembro Azul (15546341448).jpg, Front façade with the reflecting pool File:Dragões da independência fazem guarda do palácio do planalto 2016.jpg, Detail of columns File:Praça dos três poderes (47946694122).jpg, Planalto from Três Poderes Plaza File:Brasilia-109895.jpg, ''Os Candangos'' sculpture in front of the Planalto File:Palacio do Planalto Reception.jpg, Reception area File:Palácio_do_Planalto_GGFD8938.jpg, Reflecting pool at night File:Reflexos do Planalto.jpg, The Planalto at dusk File:Palácio do Planalto em 2020.jpg, Planalto in 2020

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palacio Do Planalto Palaces in Brasília Presidential palaces in Brazil Modernist architecture in Brazil Oscar Niemeyer buildings Tourist attractions in Brasília World Heritage Sites in Brazil Restored and conserved buildings