National Congress Palace

The National Congress Palace is the central meeting place for Brazil's national legislature. Located in Brasília, the capital of Brazil, it houses the National Congress of Brazil. This building is a symbol of the country's democratic processes. It sits prominently on the Monumental Axis, which is the city's main street. Behind the palace lies the Praça dos Três Poderes, or Three Powers Plaza. This plaza is a triangular space designed to hold the three branches of government.

Before the move to Brasília, the legislature met in separate buildings in Rio de Janeiro. In the early 1900s, the Senate was located near the Railway Central Station. The Federal Chamber of Deputies met at the Tiradentes Palace. When the Pilot Plan for Brasília was created, Lúcio Costa defined the city's layout. He chose a very important location for the National Congress. He planned the Three Powers Plaza as a triangle. Each branch of government would occupy one corner of this triangle. The legislative palace was placed at the vertex.

Architect Oscar Niemeyer designed the building in the Modernist style. Modernism is an architectural movement that focuses on function and simple forms. Niemeyer was part of the Carioca School of architects. He used many curves instead of just straight lines. He wanted the building's expression to come from its own structure. To do this, he worked with structural engineer Joaquim Cardozo. Cardozo performed the complex mathematical calculations for the concrete shapes. They worked in a state of "creative vigilance." This means they were deeply immersed in finding beauty through math and art.

The building features two very different domes. The Senate is located under a concave dome on the left. A concave shape curves inward, like a cave. The Chamber of Deputies is under a larger, convex dome on the right. A convex shape curves outward, like a bowl. This dome is 62 meters in diameter and 10 meters high. It is a rotational ellipsoid. The structure was built as a lowered spherical shell. This design makes the heavy dome look as if it is resting lightly on the edges.

Beside the domes are two tall towers known as the annexes. These towers provide space for administrative services and offices. Each tower has 28 stories. The floors are about 45 meters long. The towers are not perfect rectangles. Their faces are made of two slightly diagonal planes. This creates a subtle visual effect. The towers are built with steel columns and beams. Because Brazil could not produce the steel quickly enough, the beams were imported from the United States.

Inside the palace, several large halls serve different purposes. The Salão Negro is a major access point for the plenary halls. It covers 1,100 square metres and has a black marble floor. The Salão Verde is about 2,000 square metres in size. It is used by journalists to interview members of the Chamber of Deputies. This hall has a green carpet and an internal garden. There are also Noble Halls for receiving heads of state. The building also contains many works by famous Brazilian artists.

The National Congress Palace is a site of great historical importance. It was inaugurated on April 21, 1960. This was the same day the city of Brasília was inaugurated. In 2007, the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage named it a historical heritage of the Brazilian people. It has also been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. This status recognizes Brasília's original urban buildings as being important to the whole world.