Palácio do Planalto
Encyclopedia
The Palácio do Planalto is the official workplace of the President of Brazil
. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes
in Brasília
, Brazil
. As the seat of government
, the term Planalto is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of the government.
The main working office of the President of Brazil is in the Palácio do Planalto. The President and his or her family, however, do not live there; the official residence of the President is the Palácio da Alvorada
. Besides the President, a few high advisers also have offices in the Planalto, including the Vice-President
and the Chief of Staff
; the other ministries are laid along the Esplanada dos Ministérios
.
and Supreme Federal Court. The inauguration ceremony was attended by several heads of state
and attracted thousands of spectators.
ordered an extensive restoration of the palace. Decades of poor maintenance had taken a great toll on the structure built in 1958. The restoration was completed on August 24, 2010, at a cost of R$
111 million. The restoration focused on: installing new electric
, water
and central air conditioning systems; complete dismantling of the interior spaces and construction of new interior divisions; restoration of the exterior façade
(marble
and granite
); construction of an underground parking garage for 500 vehicles; substitution of the electrical generator
s; restoration of windows and doors; construction of emergency stairs; and upgrades to technological equipments (CCTV
, computers, etc.).
During the restoration process, the Executive Office
was transferred temporarily to the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (Bank of Brazil Cultural Center) building and to the Itamaraty Palace
.
's plan for the newly established capital city. The architect
of the Palácio do Planalto was Oscar Niemeyer
, who designed most of the important buildings in Brasília. The idea was to project an image of simplicity and modernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures.
The main building has four stories. The first floor consists of the Main Reception, Entrance Hall and Press Office. The second floor houses the East, Noble and West rooms, as well as the Supreme Meeting Room (also known as the Oval Room) and Press Secretariat. The Presidential Office and the offices of the senior advisors are located on the third floor. The Chief of Staff
and the Military Cabinet are located on the fourth floor.
with an approximate area of 1635 square metre, holding 1900 cubic metre of water, with a depth of 110 centimetres (3.6 ft). Several Japanese carp
live in the pool.
The heliport
is located by the north façade of the building.
During the week, access to the building is restricted to authorized personnel only. It is difficult to see the President. Only in special occasions does the President walk up or down the ramp in the front of the Palace. More often, he or she is escorted into the Palace through the north entrance.
The building is protected by the Presidential Guard Battalion
of the Brazilian Army
.
President of Brazil
The president of Brazil is both the head of state and head of government of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the Brazilian Armed Forces...
. It is located at the Praça dos Três Poderes
Praça dos Três Poderes
Praça dos Três Poderes is a plaza in Brasília, the capital of Brazil. The name is derived from the presence of the three governmental powers around the plaza: the Executive, represented by the Palácio do Planalto ; the Legislative represented by the Congresso Nacional ; and the Judiciary,...
in Brasília
Brasília
Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. As the seat of government
Politics of Brazil
The politics of Brazil take place in a framework of a federal presidential representative democratic republic, where by the President is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system...
, the term Planalto is often used as a metonym for the executive branch of the government.
The main working office of the President of Brazil is in the Palácio do Planalto. The President and his or her family, however, do not live there; the official residence of the President is the Palácio da Alvorada
Palácio da Alvorada
The Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of the President of Brazil. The palace was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated on June 30, 1958.The name comes from the quote of Juscelino Kubitschek:or, in English:-Architecture:...
. Besides the President, a few high advisers also have offices in the Planalto, including the Vice-President
Vice-President of Brazil
The Vice President of Brazil is the second-highest ranking government official in the executive branch of the Government of Brazil after the President...
and the Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff of Brazil
The Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic is the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of Brazil, and a senior aide to the President.In Brazil, the Chief of Staff is a member of the president's cabinet, with the rank of Minister....
; the other ministries are laid along the Esplanada dos Ministérios
Monumental Axis
The Monumental Axis is a central avenue in Brasília's city design.The avenue begins on the National Congress of Brazil building and is considered part of the DF-002 road. Its first section is known as "Ministries Esplanade" , as it is surrounded by ministries buildings...
.
History
The Palácio do Planalto was inaugurated on April 21, 1960, by President Juscelino Kubitschek. It was one of the first buildings inaugurated in the new capital city, along with the National CongressNational Congress of Brazil
The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government.Unlike regional legislative bodies – Legislative Assemblies and City Councils -, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies .The Senate represents the 26 states and...
and Supreme Federal Court. The inauguration ceremony was attended by several heads of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and attracted thousands of spectators.
2009-2010 restoration
In March 2009, President Luiz Inácio Lula da SilvaLuiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
ordered an extensive restoration of the palace. Decades of poor maintenance had taken a great toll on the structure built in 1958. The restoration was completed on August 24, 2010, at a cost of R$
Brazilian real
The real is the present-day currency of Brazil. Its sign is R$ and its ISO code is BRL. It is subdivided into 100 centavos ....
111 million. The restoration focused on: installing new electric
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
, water
Water pipe
Water pipes are pipes or tubes, frequently made of polyvinyl chloride , ductile iron, steel, cast iron, polypropylene, polyethylene, or copper, that carry pressurized and treated fresh water to buildings , as well as inside the building.-History:For many centuries, lead was the favoured material...
and central air conditioning systems; complete dismantling of the interior spaces and construction of new interior divisions; restoration of the exterior façade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
(marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
and granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
); construction of an underground parking garage for 500 vehicles; substitution of the electrical generator
Electrical generator
In electricity generation, an electric generator is a device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy. A generator forces electric charge to flow through an external electrical circuit. It is analogous to a water pump, which causes water to flow...
s; restoration of windows and doors; construction of emergency stairs; and upgrades to technological equipments (CCTV
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
, computers, etc.).
During the restoration process, the Executive Office
Cabinet of Brazil
The Cabinet of Brazil is composed of the Ministers of State and senior advisors of the executive branch of the federal government of Brazil. Cabinet officers are appointed and dismissed by the President. There are currently twenty-four Ministries of State and fourteen other cabinet-level...
was transferred temporarily to the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil (Bank of Brazil Cultural Center) building and to the Itamaraty Palace
Ministry of External Relations (Brazil)
The Ministry of External Relations conducts Brazil's foreign relations with other countries. It is commonly referred to in Brazilian media and diplomatic jargon as the Itamaraty, after the palace which hosts the ministry...
.
Architecture
The presidential palace was a major feature of Lucio CostaLúcio Costa
Lucio Costa was a Brazilian architect and urban planner.-Career:Costa was born in Toulon, France.Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, England and in Montreux until 1916, he graduated as an architect in 1924 from the School of Fine Art in Rio de Janeiro...
's plan for the newly established capital city. The architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
of the Palácio do Planalto was Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...
, who designed most of the important buildings in Brasília. The idea was to project an image of simplicity and modernity using fine lines and waves to compose the columns and exterior structures.
Layout and amenities
The Palace has an area of 36000 square metre. Four adjacent buildings are also part of the complex.The main building has four stories. The first floor consists of the Main Reception, Entrance Hall and Press Office. The second floor houses the East, Noble and West rooms, as well as the Supreme Meeting Room (also known as the Oval Room) and Press Secretariat. The Presidential Office and the offices of the senior advisors are located on the third floor. The Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff of Brazil
The Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic is the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of Brazil, and a senior aide to the President.In Brazil, the Chief of Staff is a member of the president's cabinet, with the rank of Minister....
and the Military Cabinet are located on the fourth floor.
Grounds
The Palace is surrounded by a reflecting poolReflecting pool
A reflecting pool or reflection pool is a water feature found in gardens, parks, and at memorial sites. It usually consists of a shallow pool of water, undisturbed by fountain jets, for a calm reflective...
with an approximate area of 1635 square metre, holding 1900 cubic metre of water, with a depth of 110 centimetres (3.6 ft). Several Japanese carp
Koi
or more specifically , are ornamental varieties of domesticated common carp that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens....
live in the pool.
The heliport
Heliport
A heliport is a small airport suitable only for use by helicopters. Heliports typically contain one or more helipads and may have limited facilities such as fuel, lighting, a windsock, or even hangars...
is located by the north façade of the building.
Public access and security
The Palace used to be open to public visitation only on Sundays, from 9:30 am to 1 pm. Guided tours last 20 minutes. However, since the restoration begun it has been closed to public visitation.During the week, access to the building is restricted to authorized personnel only. It is difficult to see the President. Only in special occasions does the President walk up or down the ramp in the front of the Palace. More often, he or she is escorted into the Palace through the north entrance.
The building is protected by the Presidential Guard Battalion
Presidential Guard Battalion (Brazil)
The Presidential Guard Battalion is a unit of the Brazilian Army and honor guard to the President of Brazil. Two other units, the 1st Guards Cavalry Regiment and the Cayenne Battery, are also part of the presidential honor guard....
of the Brazilian Army
Brazilian Army
The Brazilian Army is the land arm of the Brazilian Military. The Brazilian Army has fought in several international conflicts, mostly in South America and during the 19th century, such as the Brazilian War of Independence , Argentina-Brazil War , War of the Farrapos , Platine War , Uruguayan War ...
.