Ermida Dom Bosco, Hermitage church in Lago Sul, Brazil.
Ermida Dom Bosco is a chapel designed by Oscar Niemeyer, built in 1957 as Brasília's first masonry structure. It takes the form of a sharp pyramid topped with a metal cross, resting on a raised circular platform clad in marble. Inside stands a Carrara marble image of Dom Bosco carved by the Italian Arreghini brothers. It sits on a hill within the Parque Ecológico Dom Bosco, overlooking Lago Sul and southern Brasília.
Construction began in the 1950s and was completed in 1957, making it the first masonry building erected in Brasília. It was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and dedicated to Dom Bosco, the city's patron saint, linked to an 1883 prophecy of a promised land between parallels 15 and 20. It was listed by Decree No. 11,032 of 2 March 1988.
The chapel is dedicated to Don Bosco, patron saint of Brasília, whose 1883 prophecy of a promised land between the 15th and 20th parallels was invoked by the city's founders. The Italian Arreghini brothers carved the marble image of Don Bosco inside, and the chapel and the Santuário Dom Bosco of 1963 honour the city's patron.
The site is accessible by car or public transportation from central Brasilia, with parking available nearby. Wear comfortable walking shoes since the terrain is uneven and the elevated areas require some walking to reach the best viewing points.
The chapel is the first masonry building erected in Brasília, completed in 1957 before the city was inaugurated. It was listed by Decree No. 11,032 of 2 March 1988, and about 20,000 people pass through it each month.
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