Cathedral of Brasília facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of AparecidaCatedral Metropolitana Nossa Senhora Aparecida |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic |
| District | Archdiocese of Brasília |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Cathedral |
| Location | |
| Location | Brasília, Brazil |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Oscar Niemeyer |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Modernist |
| Groundbreaking | September 12, 1958 |
| Completed | May 31, 1970 |
| Capacity | 4000 |
The Cathedral of Brasília is a famous Catholic church in Brasília, Brazil. It is also known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Brasília. This amazing building serves as the main church for the Archdiocese of Brasília.
It was designed by the well-known Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. Another Brazilian, Joaquim Cardozo, was the engineer. The cathedral was finished and officially opened on May 31, 1970.
Contents
What Makes the Cathedral Unique?
The cathedral has a very special shape called a hyperboloid structure. Imagine a curved shape that looks like a giant basket or crown. It is built from 16 huge concrete columns. Each of these columns weighs about 90 tons!
Outside the Cathedral
In the square outside the cathedral, you will see four large bronze statues. These statues are about 2.5 meters (8 feet) tall. They represent the four Evangelists, who wrote parts of the Bible. Sculptors Alfredo Ceschiatti and Dante Croce created them in 1968.
To the right of the entrance, there is a tall bell tower. It stands 20 meters (65 feet) high. This tower holds four big bells. These bells were a gift from Spanish people living in Brazil. At the entrance, there is also a pillar with paintings by Athos. These paintings show important moments from the life of Mary, who was the mother of Jesus.
A wide, shallow pool of water surrounds the cathedral's roof. This pool is 12 meters (39 feet) wide and 40 centimeters (16 inches) deep. It helps to keep the building cool. When you enter the cathedral, you actually walk under this pool!
Inside the Cathedral
The Cathedral of Brasília can hold up to 4,000 people. You enter the main part of the cathedral through a tunnel. After walking through the tunnel, you come into a bright space with a glass roof.
The outer roof of the cathedral is made of 16 pieces of fiberglass. Each piece is 10 meters (33 feet) wide at the bottom and 30 meters (98 feet) long. These pieces fit between the concrete pillars.
Below this, there is a huge stained glass artwork. It covers about 2,000 square meters (21,500 square feet). This beautiful artwork was created in 1990 by Marianne Peretti. It features shades of blue, green, white, and brown.
Above the main area, called the nave, you can see three sculptures of angels. They hang from the ceiling by steel cables. Alfredo Ceschiatti and Dante Croce made these in 1970. The smallest angel is 2.22 meters (7.3 feet) long and weighs 100 kg (220 lbs). The middle one is 3.4 meters (11 feet) long and weighs 200 kg (440 lbs). The largest angel is 4.25 meters (14 feet) long and weighs 300 kg (660 lbs).
The main altar was a gift from Pope Paul VI. The image of the cathedral's patron saint, Our Lady of Aparecida, is a copy of the original statue in Aparecida - São Paulo. There is also a small chapel located under the main altar. You can reach it by steps from either side.
To the left of the entrance, there is an oval-shaped baptistery. You can enter it from the cathedral or by a spiral staircase from the outside plaza. The walls of the baptistery are covered with ceramic tiles. These tiles were painted in 1977 by Athos Bulcão.
Next to the cathedral, there are offices for the Archdiocese of Brasília. These offices were finished in 2007. This building is 3,000 square meters (32,300 square feet) and connects directly to the cathedral underground.
How the Cathedral Was Built
The first stone for the Cathedral of Brasília was placed on September 15, 1958. The main structure was finished on April 21, 1960. At that time, only the roof structure could be seen above the ground.
After the president, Juscelino Kubitschek, finished his term, the work on many buildings in Brasília slowed down. The cathedral was eventually given to the Catholic Church to complete.
The cathedral was officially opened by Cardinal D. Eugenio Salles on May 31, 1970. The baptistery was dedicated on October 5, 1977. Because of its unique design and history, the cathedral was declared a national historic and artistic monument on July 15, 1990.
About 1,000,000 people visit the cathedral every year.
Recent Renovations
To celebrate Brasília's 50th anniversary, major renovations began on April 21, 2012. These updates were done to repair and improve the building and its systems. One important part of the work was replacing the glass on the outside. The original stained glass, which was handmade, was replaced with new, uniform glass. This new glass was cut and put together in Brazil, using glass plates made in Germany.
Besides fixing the roof, all the marble surfaces were polished. The concrete was repaired and painted. The angel sculptures inside were cleaned and put back in place. Even the bell mechanisms were replaced. The good news is that the cathedral stayed open to visitors during these renovations!
Images for kids
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Interior with angel sculptures
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Cathedral with baptistry in the foreground
