Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Catedral Metropolitana de Nossa Senhora Aparecida)

The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the main church of the city of Brasilia and is considered one of the most beautiful Catholic cathedrals in the world. It is consecrated in honor of the patron saint of the church and family, the Virgin Mary of Aparecida, but the Brazilians themselves call it the Shrine of the Crown of Thorns.

.

Video: Cathedral in Brasilia

Contents

Highlights

The unusual building was built from 1958 to 1970 by the famous Latin American architect Oscar Niemeyer in the Modernist style. The cathedral in Brasilia is similar to the metropolitan cathedral in the English city of Liverpool. However, the Brazilian temple has more refined forms, as well as a special plasticity and expressiveness.

The building is constructed of concrete and rises to a height of 40 meters. At the very top, a thin tall cross is installed. The futuristic structure is a ribbed structure made of sixteen curved hyperboloid columns. According to the architect’s plan, they should resemble arms raised to the sky. But there are other points of view. Some find that the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary looks like a giant flower made of concrete, and others see its shape as flames or hourglasses. The space between the columns is occupied by large glass stained glass windows, so the church seems very light and airy. The abundance of glass walls fills the interior space with light.

.

Oscar Niemeyer was an atheist, so the Catholic Church initially did not want to consecrate the new temple in Brasilia. However, two years before the official opening, a consecration ceremony was held by Cardinal Eugenio Stahl. Then the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary was recognized worldwide, and in 2013 Pope Francis, on a visit to Brazil, celebrated Mass in this very temple.

.

For the development and successful implementation of the project in 1988, Oscar Niemeyer was awarded the honorary Pritzker Prize, which recognizes the best developments in architecture. Since 1990, the cathedral in Brasilia has been recognized as a national treasure and is listed as one of Brazil’s most important monuments.

.

It is open daily for visitors from 8:00 am to 7:30 pm. Entrance is free.

.

Features of the architecture

The cathedral building in Brasilia has an area of 3,848 m². Each of the 16 concrete ribs weighs 90 tons and the diameter of the rounded base is 60 meters. Remarkably, as with many of Niemeyer’s buildings, the base of the cathedral is surrounded by water.

.

Away from the cathedral can be seen the bell tower with four large bells, which Brazil received as a gift from the Spanish government. In front of the entrance are tall bronze figures depicting the four evangelists.

.

Technical miscalculations were made during the design of the temple, so the Catholic Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary does not have very good acoustics. The almost complete absence of a ventilation system is also considered a disadvantage of the design. The temple stands in the open, has no additional light protection, so it can be hot inside. To solve this problem, in 2000 some of the stained glass panels were replaced with special glass, which lets in light but retains heat.

.

The cathedral in Brasilia has another architectural feature. On the way to the main hall, visitors entering it pass through a long, dark tunnel, the floor and walls of which are finished in black granite.

.

Interiors

The circular nave of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a capacity for 4,000 worshippers. There are two exits that lead to the baptistery and service areas. A monumental crucifix is placed above the pews, and under the dome you can see the figures of three angels, the author of which is sculptor Alfredo Ceschiatti. The largest of the angels is 4.25 meters long and weighs 300 kg.

.

The interior of the columns is faced with snow-white Carrara marble. The transparent stained glass windows are made by Frenchwoman Marianne Peretti and are in green, blue and beige colors. The cold color scheme of the glass dome creates a feeling of freshness and coolness. In places where the dome is not colored, the sky and clouds peek through the glass, so the believers have the impression that they are talking directly to the heavens.

.

The baptistery has a symbolic egg shape and is finished with ceramic tiles. The drawings for them are based on sketches by the artist Athos Bursau. The same artist decorated the stele standing at the entrance to the temple with images from the life of the Virgin Mary.

The altar has been given an altar, which has been raised in the shape of an egg.

The altar was presented to the cathedral by Pope Paul VI. The sculpture of the Virgin Mary placed on it is a copy of the statue of Our Lady that stands in the Catholic cathedral of the Brazilian city of São Paulo.

.

Video: Inside the cathedral in Brasilia

How to get there

The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located at Esplanada dos Ministérios lote, 12. The closest metro station to the cathedral is the Galeria metro station. In addition, several city buses run past the cathedral in Brasilia. Get off at the “Via L2 Sul” or “Via S Um Leste” stop.

.