Pombal, Modernist monument in Brasília, Brazil

Pombal is a modernist monument in Brasília constructed from reinforced concrete following Oscar Niemeyer's design principles. The structure displays curved lines and geometric forms that reflect the architectural vocabulary of that era.

The Pombal was inaugurated in 1961, during the government of Jânio Quadros, the first president to take office in Brasília. It was commissioned by first lady Eloá Quadros, who argued that every square should have pigeons, inspired by St. Peter's Square in the Vatican. It was the only monument built in the city during Jânio Quadros's term and the first addition to the Praça dos Três Poderes since its inauguration in 1960.

Locals call it the "prendedor de roupa" (clothes peg) because of its shape. Eloá Quadros, wife of President Jânio Quadros, ordered it so that the square would have pigeons, as Saint Peter's Square in the Vatican does. The birds nest in its three curved recesses and later spread to nearby buildings.

The Pombal stands on the Praça dos Três Poderes, which was deliberately kept dry and open so the surrounding monumental buildings could be seen. The monument is a listed IPHAN work and cannot be removed or demolished, even though the pigeons it shelters have multiplied and now nest in nearby buildings too. Visitors view it from the square; no guided tours are offered.

Locals call it the "clothes peg" (prendedor de roupa) because of its shape. Niemeyer designed it reluctantly, since he wanted the plaza kept dry and free of elements so the surrounding monumental buildings could be seen; he drew the three curved recesses from crevices in rock formations where pigeons nest.