CATEDRAL METROPOLITANA NOSSA SENHORA APARECIDA

The marvellous Francophile and Francophone architect Oscar Niemeyer is certainly, like all great men, full of paradox. Niemeyer, a lover of freedom and equality, was a communist (for example, it was he who drew up the plans for the headquarters of the Communist Party in Paris). However, it was he, the materialist, who also drew the plans for the cathedral. The first monument to be built near the Place des Trois-Pouvoirs, opposite the Esplanade des Ministères, Niemeyer's cathedral evokes an inverted crown open to the sky. Inaugurated at the same time as the capital in 1960, the building with its futuristic curves was not really completed until 1970. It was consecrated in honour of Our Lady of Aparecida, patron saint of Brazil. Its hyperboloid shape is made up of sixteen 40-metre high concrete arches curved around a circle and separated by stained glass windows. The interior is vast and bright, white and blue. The interior, an oval of 60 meters in diameter, can accommodate up to 4,000 people. On its walls there is a panel painted in 1977 by Athos Bulcão. The current stained glass windows in green, blue, white and brown were designed in 1990 by the artist Marianne Peretti. The Way of the Cross is the work of the famous Emiliano Di Cavalcanti. The three angels that fly under the vault, made by the sculptor Alfredo Ceschiatti, attract the visitor's attention. Forged in aluminium and suspended by steel cables, they measure between 2.20 m and 3.40 m and weigh between 100 and 300 kg. Also noteworthy is the altar, which is a copy of the altar in the Aparecida do Norte sanctuary in São Paulo.

In front of the cathedral, the four bronze sculptures represent the evangelists Luke, Matthew, John and Mark. Like the angels, they are the work of Alfredo Ceschiatti. Next to the evangelists, the monumental fork-shaped bell tower has been separated from the cathedral. The four bells of different sizes that it contains were donated by the Spanish crown and ring every hour.

The Baptistery: during your visit, also go to the baptistery next to the cathedral. A rather enigmatic oval construction erected separately from the nave and inaugurated in 1977. Its dark-coloured floor lets the eye rise to the central vault, from which the light of the sky emanates. The typical tiles of Athos Bulcão line the walls and complete the work in all beauty.