| Planalto Palace | |
|---|---|
Palácio do Planalto (Portuguese) | |
 | |
  Location in thePlano Piloto of Brasília. | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Modernist |
| Location | Praça dos Três Poderes, Brasília, Brazil |
| Elevation | 1,172 m (3,845 ft) |
| Current tenants | Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil |
| Construction started | 10 July 1958 |
| Inaugurated | 21 April 1960 |
| Renovated | 2009–2010 |
| Client | Brazilian government |
| Owner | Brazilian government |
| Height | 65.65 ft (20.01 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count |
|
| Floor area | 36,000 m2 (390,000 ft2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Oscar Niemeyer |
| Other information | |
| Parking | 500 vehicles (underground) |
| Website | |
www | |
| Criteria | Cultural: (i), (iv) |
| Designated | 1987 (11thsession) |
| Part of | Brasília |
| Reference no. | 445 |
| Region | Latin America and the Caribbean |
ThePalácio doPlanalto (Portuguese pronunciation:[paˈlasjuduplaˈnawtu]) inBrasília is the official workplace of thepresident of Brazil.[1] The building was designed byOscar Niemeyer in 1958 and inaugurated on 21 April 1960. It has been the workplace of every Brazilian president sinceJuscelino Kubitschek. It is located at thePraça dos Três Poderes (Three Powers Plaza), to the east of theNational Congress of Brazil and across from theSupreme Federal Court.
It is one of the official palaces of the Presidency, along with thePalácio da Alvorada, the official residence. Besides the president, other high ranking government officials also work from thePlanalto, including theVice-President and theChief of Staff; the other government ministry buildings are located on theMinistries Esplanade. As the seat of government, the termPlanalto is often used as ametonym for the executive branch of the federal government.15°47′57″S47°51′39″W / 15.79917°S 47.86083°W /-15.79917; -47.86083
The building, constructed in themodernist style, is part of the BrasíliaWorld Heritage Site, designated byUNESCO in 1987.[2][3]
Thepresidential palace was a major feature of the plan for the newly established federal capital, Brasília. Oscar Niemeyer was chosen as the architect of the Palácio do Planalto and the building's construction, led by Construtora Rabello S.A., began on 10 July 1958. The Executive Office was temporarily headquartered at theCatetinho, on the outskirts of Brasília, during construction.
The palace was officially inaugurated on 21 April 1960, by President Juscelino Kubitschek. It was one of the first buildings inaugurated in the new capital city, along with the National Congress and the Supreme Federal Court. The inauguration ceremony was attended by several foreign leaders and attracted thousands of spectators,[1] as it symbolised the transfer of the capital city fromRio de Janeiro to the center of the country.
The palace owes its name to theBrazilian Highlands (the termplanalto meaning highland), specifically the Brazilian Central Plateau, where Brasília is located.
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In March 2009, PresidentLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva ordered an extensive restoration of the palace.[4] Decades of poor maintenance had taken a great toll on the structure built in 1958.[5] The restoration was completed on 24 August 2010, at a cost ofR$ 111 million.[6] The restoration focused on: installing new electricity, water and central air conditioning systems; complete dismantling of the interior spaces and construction of new interior divisions; restoration of the exterior marble and granite façade; construction of an underground parking garage for 500 vehicles; substitution of the electrical generators; restoration of windows and doors; construction of emergency stairs; and technology upgrades[5]
During the restoration process, theExecutive Office was transferred temporarily to theCentro Cultural Banco do Brasil ('Bank of Brazil Cultural Center') and to theItamaraty Palace.[7]
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On 8 January 2023, the building was attacked by supporters of former presidentJair Bolsonaro.
The presidential palace was a major feature of Costa's plan for the newly established capital city. Niemeyer's idea was to project an image of simplicity andmodernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures.[1] The longitudinal lines of the palace are kept by a sequence of columns whose design is a variation of those at thePalácio da Alvorada, although they were arranged transversely to the body of the building. The palace's façade is also composed by two strong elements: the ramp leading to the hall and theparlatorium (speaker's platform), from where the president and foreignheads of state can address the public at theThree Powers Plaza.[8]
Areflecting pool was built in 1991 to increase security around the palace and to balance humidity levels during the long dry season in Brasília. It has an approximate area of 1,635 square metres (17,600 ft2), holding 1,900 cubic metres (67,000 ft3) of water, with a depth of 110 centimetres (3.6 ft).[1] SeveralJapanese carp live in the pool.[1]
The Palace has an area of 36,000 square metres (390,000 ft2).[1] The main building has four floors above ground and one floor underground.[1] Theheliport is located by the north façade of the building.
The first floor consists of the main reception area, access control and security, entrance hall and press office.[8] The large entrance hall is used frequently for temporary exhibitions on themes related to thefederal government's programs. The hall features a sculpture by Franz Weissman and three sculptures by Zezinho de Tracunhaém. Also located on the first floor is the Presidential Gallery, housing the official portraits of the former presidents of Brazil.[8]
The second floor houses the East, Noble and West rooms, as well as the Supreme Meeting Room and Press Secretariat.[8] The East Room is where the president signs decrees and other pieces of legislation. The Noble Room, also called the Mirror Hall, is the largest in the palace. It is used for large ceremonies, with a capacity to hold 1,000 guests. The highlights in this hall are Haroldo Barroso's sculptureEvoluções andDjanira da Motta e Silva's paintingOs Orixás. The West Room was designed for medium-sized events, with a capacity to hold from 300 to 500 people. Due to its ample size and generous ceiling height, it is primarily used for events based on international themes. A large panel created byRoberto Burle Marx decorates the area. The Supreme Meeting Room was built in 1990 and is normally used for ministerial, government and presidential meetings.[8]
The third floor houses the office of the president and their senior staff.[8] It also houses themezzanine, a large area composed of waiting rooms and a circulation area between the Noble Room, the presidential office and the offices of the senior advisors. The waiting rooms are decorated with furniture bySergio Rodrigues and Oscar Niemeyer, and paintings byEmiliano Di Cavalcanti, Firmino Saldanha,Frans Krajcberg,Geraldo de Barros and Frank Schaeffer. The bronze sculpture calledO Flautista, byBruno Giorgi, used to ornament the area but was destroyed during the invasion of Congress on 8 January 2023.[8][9]
The president's office consists of three separate environments: office, meeting room and guest room.[8] The president's office is decorated withmodernist Brazilian furniture dating from the 1940s to the 1960s, and silverware from theCatete Palace. The highlights in this room are two large paintings by Djanira da Motta e Silva:Colhendo Bananas andPraia do Nordeste. The meeting room is used for private meetings between the president and members of their direct staff. The guest room is used for formal meetings between the president and foreign heads of state and government.[8]
The fourth floor contains a large lounge area and the offices of senior government officials, including theChief of Staff and theChief of the Institutional Security Cabinet.[1] The lounge area was created during the 2010 restoration and is decorated with modernist Brazilian furniture from the 1960s. Highlights in the lounge include: a tapestry by Alberto Nicola; a draft ofTiradentes' bust, by Bruno Giorgi; and Cena Indígena, by Giovanni Oppido. Two large panels byAthos Bulcão are also seen on the side walls that lead to the lounge.[8]
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The Palace is open to public visitation on Sundays, from 9:30 am to 2 pm.[10] Guided tours last 20 minutes. During the week, access to the building is restricted to authorised personnel. It is difficult to see the president, as they are often escorted into the Palace through the north entrance orarrive by helicopter. The ramp in front of the Palace is only used during special ceremonies, such aspresidential inaugurations andstate visits by foreign heads of state and government.
The building is protected by thePresidential Guard Battalion and by the1st Guard Cavalry Regiment ('Independence Dragoons'), of theBrazilian Army. The ceremonial guard sentry duties are rotated among those two units every six months, and achange of the guard ceremony takes place to mark the rotation.
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