National Congress Palace, Parliament building in Brasília, Brazil
The National Congress Palace features two concrete domes, with the larger one facing upward for the Chamber of Deputies and the smaller inverted one for the Senate.
Architect Oscar Niemeyer designed this modernist structure as part of the new federal capital, which officially opened on April 21, 1960.
The palace contains numerous Brazilian artworks, including sculptures and panels by Di Cavalcanti, Athos Bulcão, and Alfredo Ceschiatti displayed throughout its halls and corridors.
Visitors can access the palace through guided tours that present information about Brazilian political history and explore the main spaces of both legislative houses.
Two 28-story towers rise between the domes, creating a symmetrical composition that marks the eastern end of the Monumental Axis boulevard.
Location: Brasília
Inception: 1960
Architects: Oscar Niemeyer
Official opening: April 21, 1960
Architectural style: International Style, modernism
Part of: Pilot Plan of Brasília
GPS coordinates: -15.79972,-47.86417
Latest update: May 27, 2025 13:24
Oscar Niemeyer shaped Brazilian modernism with his concrete constructions featuring bold geometric forms. In Brasília, the capital he helped design, the Cathedral stands out with its sixteen columns rising 40 meters (131 feet) high, while the National Congress combines two 28-story towers with opposing domes, one facing upwards for the House of Representatives, the other downwards for the Senate. The Niterói Contemporary Art Museum, with its circular shape resting on a central support, overlooks the bay of Rio de Janeiro. His work extends beyond Brazil. In Paris, the headquarters of the French Communist Party reflects his architectural vision, as does the Asturian Cultural Center in Spain. These international projects extend the architect’s influence beyond his homeland. In São Paulo, the Copan Building showcases its curved S-shaped facade stretching 115 meters (377 feet), containing 1,160 apartments across 32 floors. These works embody a modernist approach favoring concrete structures, geometric volumes, and natural light integration.
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Pilot Plan of Brasília
2.1 km
Praça dos Três Poderes
326 m
Cathedral of Brasília
1.2 km
Tancredo Neves Pantheon of Fatherland and Freedom
458 m
A Justiça
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Itamaraty Palace
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Os Candangos
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"Honestino Guimarães" National Museum
1.5 km
Supremo Tribunal Federal building
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MUSEU Nacional da República
1.5 km
Cláudio Santoro National Theater
1.9 km
Palace of Justice
331 m
Biblioteca Nacional de Brasília
1.7 km
Cultural Complex of the Republic
1.7 km
Caixa Cultural
2.2 km
Ponte Costa e Silva
3 km
Pombal (Brasília)
382 m
Museu da Cidade
273 m
Planetário de Brasília
2 km
Espaço Lúcio Costa
307 m
Esplanada dos ministérios
624 m
Library Acadêmico Luiz Viana Filho
256 m
Casa de Chá (Praça dos Três Poderes)
377 m
Teatro Dulcina de Moraes
2.2 km
Museu de Valores do Banco Central
2.3 km
Superior Tribunal de Justiça building
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Edifício do Touring Club do Brasil
2 kmReviews
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