Praça dos Três Poderes, Government square in Brasília, Brazil
Praça dos Três Poderes is a government square in Brasília where three major state buildings stand in a triangular layout. The National Congress, Supreme Federal Court, and Presidential Palace surround a wide paved open space used for ceremonial purposes.
The plaza was completed in 1960 with the inauguration of the new capital and named after the democratic principle of separation of powers. Its design followed the urban planning concept of Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, who sought to express the new beginning of Brazil in the interior.
The name comes from the three branches of government housed around the plaza: the Executive in the Palácio do Planalto, the Legislative in the National Congress and the Judiciary in the Supreme Federal Court. The Brazilian flag on the mast weighs about 90 kilograms and is replaced monthly in a ceremony attended by the Presidential Guard Battalion and the Independence Dragoons.
The public space is accessible daily and offers direct views of the surrounding buildings from different angles. Guided tours through the government buildings take place on weekdays and require prior registration at the respective entrances.
Several sculptures by Bruno Giorgi and other artists stand on the plaza, reinforcing its modernist character. The wide expanse appears especially bright under sunlight, as the light-colored paving strongly reflects the light.
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