Palácio da Alvorada 🇧🇷

You will find the stunning Palácio da Alvorada, or "Palace of Dawn," situated along a serene peninsula on Paranoá Lake in Brasília. Designed by famed architect Oscar Niemeyer and built between 1957 and 1958, this National Historic Heritage Site served as the very first government structure in Brazil's capital and remains the official presidential residence. As you explore this modernist masterpiece spanning 7,000 square meters across three floors, you will discover state rooms on the ground floor reserved for official receptions.

Look for the striking golden wall in the Entrance Hall inscribed with President Juscelino Kubitschek's inspiring quote, browse the Library with its 3,406 literary works and historical 17th-century maps, and admire the State Room with its jacarandá-da-baía main wall and 18th-century Baroque sculptures. Art lovers will appreciate tapestries by Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, paintings by Candido Portinari, and classic Mies van der Rohe furniture inside the Noble Room. The ground floor also showcases a grand Banquet Room featuring a 50-seat dining table designed by Anna Maria Niemeyer.

While the presidential apartment occupies the private second floor, the grounds house a chapel and heliport, all protected by the Presidential Guard Battalion.

What to see at Palácio da Alvorada

• Oscar Niemeyer modernist architectural design along Paranoá Lake
• Entrance Hall featuring a golden wall inscribed with President Kubitschek's quote
• Library containing 3,406 works and historical 17th-century maps
• Banquet Room featuring a 50-seat dining table designed by Anna Maria Niemeyer
• State Room decorated with jacarandá-da-baía wood and 18th-century Baroque art

Visiting tips

Keep in mind that the second floor functions as private presidential suites, while state receptions take place across the ground floor rooms.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

Palácio da Alvorada is easy to reach on Brasília’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Palácio do Planalto. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Brasília travel guide.