Culture in the middle of Brazil

The main see sights of Brasília, capital of Brazil, are in its central area, along the Monumental Axis; for those who do not know, the city Pilot Plan resembles the figure of a plane.

A good way to visit this area is on foot among the monuments. The attractions are close to each other, which justifies the walking. If you get tired, you can take a bus. There are several buses that pass by.

The tour starts in the Três Poderes Square so called for being surrounded by headquarters of the Legislative (National Congress), Executive (Planalto Palace) and Judiciary (Federal Supreme Court). All of them were designed by Oscar Niemeyer, as well as Três Poderes Square.

From there, go to the Itamaraty Palace, headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and one of the most beautiful designs of Niemeyer. The surface water around gives you the feeling that the building is floating.

Keep walking by the Esplanada dos Ministérios (Ministries Esplanade) to the Cathedral of Brasilia, the first monument built in the new capital in 1960. Its entrance is underground. Inside, you have the feeling you are in heaven, thanks to the blue stained glass windows and the angels hanging from the ceiling. Guess who made the project? Exactly, Oscar Niemeyer, the greatest modernism architect in history.

Other Niemeyer monuments nearby: The National Theater, opposite the Eixo Monumental and the João Herculino Republic Cultural Complex. Opened in 2006, the complex houses the Honestino Guimarães Museum, which was named in honor of the student leader and receives several exhibitions during the year, and the National Library.

Keep going until the TV Tower, a project of Lucio Costa, city planner who designed the city. From the top of its 75 meters lookout, there is a beautiful view of Brasília. And in its fair, you can taste several local dishes from the country and buy local handicrafts. Be sure to have something to eat and reload your energy. The tower is next to the Mané Garrincha Stadium, rebuilt for the 2014 World Cup, and the Dona Sarah Kubitschek City Park, one of the largest urban parks in the world, with excellent infrastructure for entertainment and sports.

The visit ends in the JK Memorial, founded in honor of Juscelino Kubitschek, the Brazilian president who transferred the capital from Rio de Janeiro to the center of the country. In the beautiful museum, there are documents, information and videos telling the story of the politician and the city he has idealized.

When leaving, walk few steps to the Cruzeiro Square, where there is a large cross in the middle. From there, there is a beautiful sunset, which is even more beautiful during the dry season, between June and September, when the sky reveals impressive color, from red to dark blue.

Brasilia and Goiânia are 200 km away and the road is in good condition. The route can be done by car or bus, in just over 2 hours.

The first stop is the Cerrado Memorial, a scientific complex with spaces designed for the history, archaeology, nature and integration with the environment. You can know the history and characteristics of the Cerrado biome and know more about the evolution of the planet. There are replicas in actual size of an indigenous village and of a quilombo (a runaway slave community during the slavery period), in addition to the Santa Luzia village, which reproduces the first Portuguese village in Brazil.

Next attraction is the architectural and urban art déco collection of Goiânia, one of the largest in Brazil. It is in the center, whose first buildings and monuments were designed according to this architectural style. In the total of 22 beautiful buildings, the Goiânia Teather, Zoroastro Artiaga Museum and Civic Square stand out.

Since the subject is architecture, be sure to visit the Oscar Niemeyer Cultural Center, designed by him. Its forms are modern, as most of the architect's work and in its complex, there are spaces for concerts, exhibitions, cinema and cuisine. In the afternoon, its courtyard is filled with bikes, skateboards and roller skates.

It is easy to go to Goiás, also known as Goias Velho: just take the GO-070 road and drive the almost 150 km between both cities.

First capital of the state of Goiás, Goiás is known for its beautiful colonial architecture and for being the place of birth and residence of the famous Brazilian poet, Cora Coralina. Our first attraction of the day is her house, where she spent her whole life.

The place is preserved the same way when she lived there. In the kitchen, there are still the pots where she cooked her sweets. In her bedroom, you can see her dresses hanging on the wall. Cora is such important person that her image became a rag doll for sale throughout the city.

In July, the Cidade de Goiás returns as the capital of the state for 3 days. During this time, the governor inhabits the Conde dos Arcos Palace, as did his predecessors. During the rest of the year, the place is a museum that tells the story of the state and displays its rich collection of furniture, china cabinet, silverware, weapons, porcelain and gold pieces, from the 18th to the present day.

The small and old Church of Our Lady of Good Death no longer has religious functions and started to house the Sacred Art Museum. Its well-maintained interior contains many works of art, mainly of the artist José Joaquim da Veiga Valle, and liturgical pieces from the 18th and 19th centuries. There are guides presenting the collection.

What about trying the local cuisine to finish the tour? The food of the state of Goiás is very delicious, pleasing to the most demanding tastes. Be sure to try galinhada (stew of rice with chicken) and empadão(stuffed bread or pastry baked or fried). Very yummy!