National Congress of Brazil, Brasilia

National Congress of Brazil (1957-64), Brasilia designed by modernist master architect, Oscar Niemeyer

Brasilia Cathedral

Brazil's master Modernist architect, Oscar Niemeyer, died on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro aged 104. Niemeyer designed buildings in many Brazilian cities but he will probably be remembered the most for the buildings he designed for Brazil's capital, Brasilia during the 1950s & 60s.

The building above is the Brasilia Cathedral. The cornerstone was laid on 12th September 1958 and the cathedral was dedicated on 31st May 1970. It is one of the most extraordinary buildings I have ever visited. The combinations of blues and greens in the glass walls are mesmerising.

And the white struts keep drawing your eye to the crown in the centre of the space

and the three angels by Alfredo Ceschiatti, with the help of Dante Croce.

Reference:
Brasilia Cathedral, About Brasilia

Igrejinha de Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Brasília

The Igrejinha de Nossa Senhora de Fátima was the first church to be built in the modernist Brazilian capital of Brasília.

It was inaugurated on 28 Jun 1958. Joaquim Cardoso was the engineer who converted Oscar Niemeyer's design into a physical building.

And the name in English ... The Little Church of Our Lady of Fátima.

Reference:
Igrejinha de Nossa Senhora de Fátima website

Supremo Tribunal Federal, Brasilia

The Supremo Tribunal Federal (Supreme Court) is one of the powers that flank the Praça dos Três Poderes (Square of Three Powers) in Brasilia.

Designed by Oscar Niemeyer in 1958 is it one of the fabulous Modernist buildings that make Brasilia such an interesting city.

The statue, a Justiça (Justice), in front of the court dates from 1961 and was sculpted by Alfredo Ceschiatti.

References:
Fundação Oscar Niemeyer, www.niemeyer.org.br
Enciclopédia Itaú Cultural de Artes Visuais, Ceschiatti, Alfredo (1918 - 1989)

JK Memorial, Brasilia

This amazing scene is in Brasilia (where else?).

It is the JK Memorial designed by Oscar Niemeyer in 1980 (yes the nineteen-eighties!!!) for the former Brazilian President and founder of Brasilia, Juscelino Kubitschek.