3. • A concrete-
framed hyperboloid structure
appears with its glass roof to
be reaching up, open, to
heaven.
• Most of the cathedral is below
ground, with only the 70-
meter (230 ft) diameter 42-
meter (138 ft) roof of the
cathedral and the bell tower
visible above ground.
• The sixteen concrete columns
with a very peculiar shape
appear to be reaching up
towards the sky to represent
two hands.
• the columns have parabolic
sections and weigh 90 tonnes
(99 tons).
4. • Figuratively guarding the
exterior of the church stand
four bronze sculptures, each
3m high.
• These represent the
Evangelists and were made
with the help of Dante Croce
in 1968. More sculptures can
be seen inside the nave, where
three angels are suspended by
steel cables.
• Ranging in size from 2.22 to
4.25m long and weighing
100kg-300kg each, these were
completed by Alfredo
Ceschiatti and Dante Croce in
1970.
• Hand-painted ceramic tiles
cover the walls of the oval-
shaped Baptistery, done by
Athos Bulcao in 1977.
5. • The Cathedral has a bell
tower(20-meter /66 ft), housing
four bells that were donated by
Spain.
• At the entrance of the cathedral
is a pillar with passages from the
life of Mary, mother of Jesus,
painted by Athos.
• A 12-meter (39 ft) wide, 40-
centimeter (16 in) deep reflecting
pool surrounds the cathedral
roof, helping to cool the
cathedral. Visitors pass under this
pool when entering the cathedral
• details of the interior include
stained glass windows, with
different shades of blue, white
and brown. These were pieced
together to fit between the steel
columns, into 30m high triangles
that run 10m across.
6. • The baptistry is to the left
of the entrance, and can
be entered either from the
cathedral or via a spiral
staircase from the
entrance plaza.
• The walls of the
oval baptistery are covered
in ceramic .
• Offices for the Archdiocese
of Brasilia were completed
in 2007 next to the
cathedral. The 3,000-
square-metre
(32,000 sq ft) building
connects directly to the
cathedral underground.
7. • Visitors enter into the
cathedral through a dark
tunnel and emerge into a
bright space with a glass
roof.
• The outer roof of the
cathedral is composed of
sixteen pieces of fiberglass,
each 10 meters (33 ft) wide
at the base and 30 meters
(98 ft) long inserted
between the
concrete pillars.
• Under this is suspended a
2,000-square-meter
(22,000 sq ft) stained
glass work originally created
in 1990 by Marianne
Peretti, in shades of blue,
green, white, and brown.
8. • Inside the cathedral over
the nave are sculptures of
three angels, suspended by steel
cables.
• The shortest is 2.22 meters (7 ft
3 in) long and weighs 100 kilograms
(220 lb), the middle one 3.4 meters
(11 ft) long and weighs 200
kilograms (440 lb), and the largest is
4.25 meters (13.9 ft) long and
weighs 300 kilograms (660 lb).
• The sculptures are by Alfredo
Ceschiatti, with the collaboration of
Dante Croce in 1970.
• Under the main altar is a small
chapel accessible by steps from on
either side of and behind the altar.
• Acoustics are among the building's
top highlights: Mass can be said
without a microphone.
