Few places in the world have an overlap of complexities as intense as Brasília. Even so, its architecture symbolizes the Republic and democracy of Brazil, and any act of attack on these symbols carries meanings and consequences for Brazilian memory and cultural heritage. The terrorist acts of January 2023 destroyed part of the heritage and raised questions beyond objects and architecture, touching on education, culture, and national political capital.
Conceived in the mid-1890s with the first republican constitution, Brasília is a capital city designed and built from 1956 onwards under Juscelino Kubitschek's government and inaugurated in 1960 as part of JK's political plan of progress. A landmark of modern architecture, Brasilia's urban project was designed by Lucio Costa, and its buildings were signed by Oscar Niemeyer.
