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Orientation
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Although initially quite confusing, Brasilia is laid out with geometric precision. Unlike most cities, it has no true heart or centre. Instead, it is neatly divided into sectors: there are residential sectors - each with their own shopping and other facilities - hotel sectors, embassy sectors and banking and commercial sectors. Roads are numbered, rather than named, with digits representing their position and distance north or south of the
Eixo Monumental
, and east or west of the other main axis, the
Eixo Rodoviario
. The different sectors are given acronyms, most fairly easy to work out.
The central Rodoviaria, the urban bus station, is the main hub of movement within Brasilia, with the Eixo Monumental passing around it and the Eixo Rodoviario crossing over the top of it. Up above the Rodoviaria, on a level with the Eixo Rodoviario and the main commercial blocks, you can see at a glance the main areas of interest to the visitor. Looking east, towards the main government buildings which resemble great green dominoes, is the unmistakeable Aztec form of the
Teatro Nacional
, and the conical crown of the
Catedral
a little further away to the right: both are within easy walking distance. Slightly further away, but still within a half-hour's stroll, are the strange bowls and towers of the
Congresso Nacional
buildings. Immediately on either side of the Rodoviaria there are two separate shopping centres, the
Conjuntos de Diversoes
, one to the north, another to the south. Twenty years ago these vast concrete boxes were overshadowed only by the TV Tower, but nowadays the modern towers of the nearby
Setors Hoteleiros
dominate the scene, together with the bank buildings on either side of the Eixo Monumental to the east. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Brazil,
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