Brasília, city and capital of Brazil, in the Federal District, south central Brazil. It is situated in a savanna at an elevation of about 1005 m (about 3300 ft) and has a mild, dry climate. Brasília is a city of striking modern appearance and was constructed (beginning in 1957) on an uninhabited site to replace crowded Rio de Janeiro as the national capital.
The city layout, which was designed by the Brazilian urban planner Lúcio Costa, resembles a jetliner in shape. Along the “fuselage,” which is the city's main axis, are the offices of the national government; the “wings” contain blocks of residential apartment buildings and foreign embassies. At the nose of the “fuselage” is the Plaza of the Three Powers, in which is set a circular, largely underground cathedral; this, and all the city's other major buildings, were designed by the noted Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. Beyond the cathedral is the Palace of the Dawn, the presidential residence; it is set at the edge of a lake, which was formed by the damming of the Paraná River and borders the city on three sides.
