Brasilia - City Of Hope

[Music] this is a story of one of history's grapes a dream coming true in the green and lonely highlands of brazil here where wildcats once roamed a proud and industrious nation is fashioning its dream into a truly 20th century city the new capital brazilian sidali dais faranza city of hope is how the dream was expressed by andre mulrow boldness energy and confidence he wrote this may be the crest given to you by posterity the boldness and concept comes from the mind of city planner lucio costa the energy and confidence in design comes from the talented hand of architect oscar niemeyer the planalto palace palace of the highlands and the plaza of the three powers executive judicial and legislative form a triangle of architectural genius its apex is the congressional center two skyscrapers guard and serve the heart of brazil's democracy the senate is a dome the house a bowl [Applause] complementing the architecture of the planato palace is another guardian of liberty the supreme court rising from the raw red earth of the new frontier its serene harmony of design is in keeping with the rest of the governmental trinity with the boldness of imagination which marks all his work oscar niemeyer conceived the museum of brasilia as twin geometric forms seemingly lighter than air the sculpted head of president joselino kubisek relieves its simple planes and angles [Music] beyond the governmental plaza of the three powers stretched the eleven ministries in these structures of clean line and glass expenses the complex problems of administration will seek their solutions lucio costa wrote of his design for brasilia it arose from the primary gesture of one who marks or takes possession of a place the sign of the cross itself [Music] alvarado palace palace of the dawn is the presidential home of this building niemeyer said we've sought to adopt the principles of simplicity and purity inside is the efficiency which self-service has brought to another of life's necessities [Music] one of brasilia's first churches our lady of fatima symbolizes the inherent faith of the brazilian people its exterior decor of brazilian tile is a silent hymn to the dove of peace [Music] brasilia's first big date with history was the 21st of april 1960 inauguration day for the new capital as though drawn by destiny's magnet brazilians from the length and breadth of the land came to their proud new city for this day when brasilia became the nation's new capital was the fruit of an old dream a dream which began almost two centuries ago so now after a frantic paced four years of building president kubisek could move the government from rio de janeiro to brasilia he had given the dream its form [Music] [Applause] the heartland of brazil was open and its people proudly watched brasilia's inaugural parade [Music] the people could have they wished remember that it was 1823 when jose bonifacio named the yet unborn city brasilia or 1891 when the first republican constitution ordered the transfer to the inland capital or the 20th century when surveys and plans brought the dream closer to reality but this was their day viva brasilia viva brasilia [Music] on the edge of the city is embassy row which president dwight d eisenhower visited early in 1960 here he compared brasilia with the opening of the united states owned frontier [Music] embassies of the world will build along the avenue of nations [Music] is a city of energy it was conceived in the energy of man's mind and vision it was built with the energy of petroleum which man's mind released from the earth to assist the energy of his muscles at first everything needed in the city came by aircraft a tiny airstrip became a busy airport roads came next brasilia was deliberately placed far inland to open up the nation's vast interior and ribbons of asphalt are planned to all parts of the country a highway network is now a building the new city itself will be a motorist dream there are few traffic lights few intersections thus traffic will move more safely a personal wish of lucio costa who planned it that way [Music] while a permanent brasilia is rising a temporary city thrives next door it is the free city a bustling friendly place like all western towns the base camp of the construction men who are building brasilia brazilians are coming to brasilia to start a new life to make a new home [Music] the construction of brasilia is under the control of a government company called for brevity's sake novocap it is headed by israel pinero a man who knows how to multiply the skills of men by the might of machines to build a city in the shortest time his men came from every part of brazil to lend their skills to history in the making the work to be done was monumental night and day it went on until the city could be opened and dedicated in a miraculously short time [Music] apartments and offices hospitals and theaters stores and schools rose in the noisy tempo of gasoline and diesel engines on all sides [Music] the cathedral of brasilia perhaps best characterizes the audacity of oscar niemeyer as well as his sense of unity and harmony its 21 columns rise from a perfect circle in a grand sweep toward the infinite [Music] for years to come brasilia will grow and the face of the land will change earth movers handled with the skill of the men who are now part of the dream supply the drive which is shaping the new frontier [Music] [Applause] it is not merely the hope but the conviction of brazil's menavision that brasilia will hasten the country's march forward president kubashek may have sounded the proper note when he said i awakened the giant and shook [Music] you