Palácio do Planalto
The Palácio do Planalto (German: Palace of the Plateau ) is the official workplace of the President of the Republic of Brazil . It is located on the north side of Praça dos Três Poderes in Brasília . Since it is the seat of government, the term "o Planalto" is often used as a metonymy for the executive.
There is no official residence of the President in the building complex; the Palácio da Alvorada is used for this.
Architecture and building history
The Palácio do Planalto is part of the Plano piloto and was one of the first buildings to be erected in the capital. Construction began on July 10, 1958, following an architectural project by Oscar Niemeyer in 1956. The work was completed on schedule on April 21, 1960 and allowed the Palácio do Planalto to be the focal point of the inauguration celebrations for the new capital close. Until then, the president's residence was in a temporary wooden building - popularly known as the Catetinho Palace - inaugurated on October 31, 1956 - on the outskirts of Brasilia.
The design of the Palácio do Planalto is characterized by the simplicity of the lines with a predominance of the horizontal; Curves and straight lines combine in a way that gives the building a remarkable plasticity. The columns have the effect desired by Niemeyer, who saw the building as "light as a feather that lands on the ground".
The surrounding gardens follow designs by the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx . In 1991 it was redesigned by setting up a water basin in front of the building and along its right side. The water surface is around 1,635 m², with a water depth of around 1.1 meters and a width of 5 to 20 meters in the pool filled with koi fish , it holds around 1,900 m³. The decision to build this water basin was made at the end of President José Sarney's term of office after an unemployed truck driver hit one of the pillars of the building in a bus attack.
A heliport was built near the palace in 1990.
The palace has four floors, the covered area is around 36,000 m²; the complex includes four other buildings. The first floor houses the reception area and facilities for press conferences, the second floor is occupied by various meeting rooms and the secretariat for press and public relations. The offices of the most important advisers to the president and parts of the presidential office are located on the third floor, while the upper floor houses the office for institutional security.
The Parlatório - the place where the President and his guests can address the people gathered in Three Powers Square - is on the left side of the main entrance. It has only been used very rarely so far, for example at the inauguration of Brasília, the inauguration of Fernando Henrique Cardoso and the second inauguration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva .
The main entrance guarded by the presidential guard, which is accessible via a ramp, is only used as access to the building on special occasions, such as state visits. The north entrance is normally used.
Furnishing
The furnishings of the Palácio do Planalto combine paintings, sculptures and tapestries designed by Brazilian and foreign artists. In addition to the furniture, the collection of porcelain from Companhia das Índias and the Portuguese silverwork of the 18th century deserve special attention. Some pieces were specially designed for the building in consultation with Niemeyer, such as the “Músicos” tapestry by Emiliano Augusto Cavalcanti de Albuquerque e Melo .
The library of the Palácio do Planalto - completely renovated in 2005 for the equivalent of $ 700,000 - has a collection of 33,000 volumes (books, magazines, and newspaper clippings). It contains collections of laws in Brazil, the official gazettes of the Federal Republic of Brazil and the speeches of the Presidents of the Republic.
Access
The building is only accessible to the public for a limited time; on Sundays, the Palácio do Planalto can be visited between 9:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. as part of a 20-minute guided tour.
See also
Web links
- Official website (port.)
Coordinates: 15 ° 47 ′ 56.4 ″ S , 47 ° 51 ′ 39 ″ W.