The National Congress of Brazil sits in Brasília, the country's capital in the interior of South America. It is the home of the legislature, and its silhouette is one of the best-known images of the city: two tall towers rising from a wide, low base, with a dome on each side. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, the building is a clear example of modernist architecture, with clean lines and sculptural forms set against open sky.
What a visit offers
The complex is best understood as a place where the country's lawmaking takes place, and it can be seen up close. Guided tours take visitors through parts of the building, which gives a sense of how Niemeyer's design shapes the spaces where Brazil's legislature meets. Visitors interested in architecture will find plenty to look at, from the contrast between the rounded domes and the vertical towers to the open setting around them.
Planning your trip
- Look first from outside. The building's form is striking when seen across the wide public plaza in front of it.
- Join a guided tour. Tours are the way to enter the building and learn about its design and purpose.
- Combine it with the city. Brasília itself was planned around modernist ideas, so the Congress makes a natural part of a wider visit to its monumental government district.
Whether you come for the architecture, the civic setting, or the chance to see the heart of Brazil's legislature, the National Congress offers a focused and memorable visit in the capital.