Lake Pampulha

Pampulha is an artificial body of water in the neighborhood of the same name in northern Belo Horizonte. The reservoir spreads across gently rolling terrain with shoreline paths, parks, and public buildings lining its edges.

The body of water was created in the early 1940s on the initiative of then-mayor Juscelino Kubitschek to secure the water supply for the growing city. The entire project included not only the dam but also a series of leisure and cultural buildings along the shore.

The name comes from the original Pampulha creek that was dammed to create the water body, and today several buildings designed by Oscar Niemeyer line its shore. These modernist structures from the 1940s form part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and display bold concrete forms with tile work, which people walking along the waterfront and sitting in cafés beside the promenade experience firsthand.

The shoreline path is suitable for cycling and walking, and several parks offer space to rest or picnic. Those arriving early in the morning or late afternoon find calmer conditions and more comfortable light.

In February 2020 researchers discovered a previously unknown amoebic virus in the water called Yaravirus, composed almost entirely of novel genes. This finding shows how much unknown microbiology lies dormant even in urban waters.