The Cristo Rei Cathedral is Oscar Niemeyer's design for the cathedral of Belo Horizonte, the capital of the state of Minas Gerais in southeastern Brazil. Conceived between 2005 and 2006, it is one of the late architect's final projects in the country. The design features a domed structure approximately 60 meters in diameter, suspended by two towering elements rising 100 meters high. Niemeyer referred to the project as a "square," consisting of a cathedral with a capacity for 3,000 people and an external altar designed to accommodate up to 20,000 worshippers for mass and public events. Construction began in 2013 and is still ongoing. Earlier this year, photographer Paul Clemence visited the site, documenting the building process and capturing the emergence of Niemeyer's signature curves.
The history of the project dates back to 1921, when the first metropolitan archbishop of Belo Horizonte arrived to establish the newly created diocese. The initial architectural proposal, inspired by St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, followed the vision laid out by urban planner Aarão Reis when designing Belo Horizonte. However, the original plan for the Cristo Rei Cathedral was never completed and was postponed until 2004. That year, the city's fourth archbishop commissioned a new, contemporary design from modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer. The new project was intended to address the evolving role of a cathedral in the 21st century, as a space for spirituality, culture, education, art, and social care, as well as for reflection and dialogue. Niemeyer was selected for his celebrated work on the Pampulha complex, whose modernist landmarks are already integral to the identity of the region.
Accordingly, both the location and architectural approach to the Cristo Rei Cathedral were redefined. A new site was chosen to mark the geographic and symbolic center of Minas Gerais' urban fabric, at once the heart of the Archdiocese and the periphery of Belo Horizonte. Niemeyer's design envisions an open plaza intended not only for religious ceremonies and prayer but also for social support services, educational and cultural programs, the preservation of sacred art, and evangelization through media. According to Clemence, the area is a bustling zone near a highway, offering a unique richness visible from above the cathedral's dome. The initiative for this new cathedral began in 2004, followed by a meeting between the archbishop and Niemeyer in 2005. The design was completed in 2006, publicly presented in 2011, and construction began in 2013. The work has continued uninterrupted to the present, although progress has been slowed by technical complexities and fundraising challenges. Since 2018, the site has hosted regular weekend religious services.
Other recent news in Brazilian architecture includes a new CCA documentary highlighting the work of Brazilian architect Carla Juaçaba in forest conservation efforts in the coffee-growing region of Minas Gerais; an exhibition at Maison La Roche in Paris exploring Le Corbusier's influence on Brazilian Modernism; and the evocative urban imagery in I'm Still Here, the Brazilian film that recently won the Oscar for Best International Feature.
