 | Looking for photos and info about today's Brasilia? Try here! |
| Looking for photos and info about today's Brasilia? Try here! |
 |
Part III |
|
 The History of Brasilia |
Photos of the Construction |
|
"Did you know?" |
A little about:
|
|
Historical Documents |
Related links and Bibliography |
Please read this before copying
our texts to other web sites.
The purpose of these pages is presenting the abridged, albeit useful and accurate, history of our city. If you happen to have any additional information you'd like to e-mail us or if you know of any related web sites which might be of interest, please contact us!
Those who built Brasilia
Juscelino Kubitschek de Oliveira
Born in Diamantina, Minas Gerais, in September 12, 1902, Juscelino Kubitschek moved to Belo Horizonte in 1921, where he graduated as a physician in 1927. In 1931 he married Sarah Luiza Gomes de Lemos. He started his political career in 1934, when he was chosen head of staff of the then appointed federal intervenor in Minas Gerais, Benedito Valadares. That same year he was elected to the House of Representatives. He didn’t come to the end of his term, however. In 1937, with the advent of "Estado Novo"(New State), he was forced to go back to his medical practice.
Appointed mayor of Belo Horizonte in 1940 (again by Benedito Valadares), he called Oscar Niemeyer, then in the dawn of his career, to be responsible for many of his intended projects, including the reurbanization of Pampulha.
In 1945 he was again elected to the House of Representatives through PSD (a political party). His term was from 1946 to 1950. In 1950 he was elected Governor of Minas Gerais. His term started in January 31, 1951. His administration was guided by the motto "Energy and Transportation".
In 1955 he was elected President, from January 31, 1956 to January 31, 1961. His government plans were very ambitious (with the slogan "50 years in 5"), including the construction of the new capital.
He intended to run for President again in 1965, but in June 1964 he had his political rights suspended by the military regime. He was then Senator by the state of Goias.
After that, he was in many US and European cities, on a voluntary exile. He came back to Brazil after some time and took on entrepreneurial activities. He died in a car crash on August 22, 1976.
You may see photos showing Juscelino.
Additional information:
On September 12, 1981, the JK Memorial was inaugurated in Brasília. His remains rest there now, as well as his private library and some personal objects, among other things.
In 1990 Márcia Kubitschek, his daughter, was elected Vice-Governor of the Federal
District.
Lucio Costa was born in Toulon, France, on February 27, 1902, to
Brazilian parents on service overseas. His father was Admiral
Joaquim Ribeiro da Costa.
Costa studied at Royal Grammar School of New Castle (United Kingdom) and at Collége National, in Montrex (Switzerland). After returning to Brazil in 1917 he studied painting
and architecture at Escola Nacional de Belas Artes (National School of
Fine Arts) where he graduated in 1924. Four years later he got married
with Julieta Guimarães.
In 1930 he was nominated manager of ENBA, where he implemented changes
in the teaching system. In the next year he innovated the 38th
National Salon of Fine Arts, designating to the jury Manoel Bandeira and
Anita Malfatti among others. In 1938 he projected, together with Oscar
Niemeyer, the Brazilian pavilion in the New York World's Fair.
In 1957 he won the national contest for the elaboration of Brasilia's
pilot plan (see more info here).
In 1960, he was entitled to honoris causa teacher at the University of
Harvard (EUA). Four years later he was called to head the group that
planned the restoration of Florence (Italy) that had been inundated. In 1969 he initiated in Rio de Janeiro the elaboration of Barra da
Tijuca's Director Plan.
Lucio Costa died on June 13th, 1998, at his home in Rio de Janeiro.
Note: some
additional info can be found at this interesting article about him. For those who can can read Portuguese, there is a more complete page about him.
You may see photos showing Lucio Costa.
Born in Rio de Janeiro on December 15, 1907, he graduated from Escola Nacional de Belas Artes in 1934. His first job – as a member of the team led by Lúcio Costa, under the supervision of Le Corbusier – was the seat of the Ministry of Education and Health, in 1936; that building became an international architectural landmark. For more information on his life and works, you may follow these links:
Niemeyer was the architect of many buildings in Brasilia, including the Congress, the Palace of Dawn (Palácio da Alvorada), the Palace of Justice, Palácio do Planalto, Palácio dos Arcos (also called Itamaraty), the Cathedral, University of Brasilia, National Theater, and JK Memorial. If you want to see photos of those buildings, please follow this link.
* What is the complete name of Oscar Niemeyer? According to Fundação Oscar Niemeyer and most other sources, the name is Oscar Niemeyer Soares Filho. But according to Marcos Sá Correia, who wrote the biography of Niemeyer, the name is Oscar Niemeyer Ribeiro de Almeida Soares. If want to know more about this subject, write me.
You may see photos showing Niemeyer.
Born in Minas Gerais (a state in Brazil) on January 4, 1896. His father, Jacó Pinheiro, then State Governor, dies when he was at the age of 12. The family goes through some financial difficulties, and he is sent to a boarding school in Nova Friburgo, Rio de Janeiro.
Back to Minas, he goes to Ouro Preto to study Engineering. He was such a good student he was awarded a two-year scholarship in Europe. Back to Brazil, he went to work for the Companhia de Cerâmica Jacó Pinheiro (a pottery company), which had been founded by his father.
In 1923 he successfully ran for the Municipal Assembly of Caeté. There he started his political career. In 1933 he was appointed Secretary of Agriculture and Public Works by Benedito Valadares, the then federal intervenor in that state. In 1934 he was appointed Secretary of Agriculture, Industry, Commerce and Labor. Juscelino Kubitschek was then a State Representative, and they met often on behalf of their seats.
In 1942 he was appointed President of the then just founded Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (a mining company). He stayed there until 1946, wen he successfully ran for a seat in the House of Representatives. He served three consecutive terms; in 1950 he presented a bill which set the precise location of the then future Federal District (which comprised a part of the states of Minas Gerais and Goias); it was rejected, but he didn't give up on that idea.
In 1956, while serving his third term as a Representative, he was invited by Juscelino Kubitschek to be the president of NOVACAP (Companhia Urbanizadora da Nova Capital – New Capital Urbanization Agency), which he accepted. He then resigned and went to Brasilia. He then became the first Mayor of the new capital on May 07, 1960.
In 1965 he was elected Governor of Minas Gerais (a seat his father had already occupied). His term begun on January 01, 1966.
He died in 1973 at the age of 77.
You may see photos showing Israel Pinheiro.
Some quotes on him:
In 1962, flying over the city, Juscelino said, "My God, without Israel (Pinheiro) I'd never have been able to build Brasilia"
In 1991, Lucio Costa said, "Brasilia would not have been without Israel Pinheiro. He was a visionary. He fought for it restlessly".
Brasilia
would not have come to be without:
© Augusto Cesar B. Areal,
1997-2007.
All rights reserved. Do not copy: make a link or
create yourself!
Homepage (Brasília's Home Page)
Send e-mail
Visitors of these specific pages:
since Nov 20, 1997.