Brasília stands as one of the most ambitious urban planning experiments in history. Built from scratch in the late 1950s, this planned capital replaced Rio de Janeiro as the seat of Brazil’s government.
This quiz covers the key figures, architectural ideas, and geographic decisions that shaped the capital. You will find questions about Oscar Niemeyer’s modernist designs and the unique airplane-shaped layout of the city plan.
Once you finish, explore other topics like urban design, test yourself on world capitals, or see how well you know legendary architects.
In which year was Brasília officially inaugurated as the new capital of Brazil?
1960
1960
1964
1964
1962
1962
1958
1958
Which Brazilian president was the driving force behind the construction of the new capital?
João Goulart
João Goulart
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Getúlio Vargas
Getúlio Vargas
Juscelino Kubitschek
Juscelino Kubitschek
Who was the urban planner credited with the ‘Pilot Plan’ (Plano Piloto) that shaped Brasília?
Paulo Mendes da Rocha
Paulo Mendes da Rocha
Oscar Niemeyer
Oscar Niemeyer
Lúcio Costa
Lúcio Costa
Roberto Burle Marx
Roberto Burle Marx
The overall layout of the central area of Brasília, known as the Plano Piloto, is most commonly compared to the shape of which vehicle?
A train
A train
A submarine
A submarine
A ship
A ship
An airplane
An airplane
The design of Brasília’s main civic buildings is most closely associated with which architectural movement?
Modernism
Modernism
Art Deco
Art Deco
Neoclassicism
Neoclassicism
Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival
In what year was Brasília inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site?
1991
1991
1985
1985
1987
1987
1989
1989
Which iconic structure in Brasília features two bowl-shaped domes, one facing up and one facing down?
The Itamaraty Palace
The Itamaraty Palace
The Cathedral of Brasília
The Cathedral of Brasília
The Alvorada Palace
The Alvorada Palace
The National Congress Building
The National Congress Building
What material did Oscar Niemeyer primarily use to achieve the fluid, organic shapes seen in his buildings?
Steel and glass
Steel and glass
Red brick
Red brick
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Local limestone
Local limestone
In the airplane-shaped city plan of Brasília, what are the residential zones referred to as?
The nose
The nose
The cockpit
The cockpit
The wings
The wings
The tail
The tail
What was a primary motivation for moving the Brazilian capital from the coast to the central highlands?
To avoid overpopulation in the Amazon basin
To avoid overpopulation in the Amazon basin
To locate the capital closer to the Andes mountains
To locate the capital closer to the Andes mountains
To promote the development of the country’s interior
To promote the development of the country’s interior
To escape a high threat of coastal hurricanes
To escape a high threat of coastal hurricanes
Which famous plaza hosts the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government?
The Monumental Square
The Monumental Square
The Presidential Square
The Presidential Square
The Three Powers Plaza
The Three Powers Plaza
The Cultural Plaza
The Cultural Plaza
The construction of Brasília was famously completed in approximately how many days?
1,500 days
1,500 days
1,000 days
1,000 days
1,200 days
1,200 days
1,800 days
1,800 days
Who was the first governor of the Federal District and a major leader of the construction project?
Bernardo Sayão
Bernardo Sayão
Israel Pinheiro
Israel Pinheiro
Tancredo Neves
Tancredo Neves
Joaquim Nabuco
Joaquim Nabuco
The Cathedral of Brasília is celebrated for what visual feature that allows natural light inside?
Exposed timber beams
Exposed timber beams
Heavy stone walls
Heavy stone walls
Iron grilles
Iron grilles
Stained glass windows
Stained glass windows
Brasília is located in which distinct Brazilian biome?
Tropical Rainforest
Tropical Rainforest
Coastal Scrubland
Coastal Scrubland
Cerrado (Savanna)
Cerrado (Savanna)
Temperate Grassland
Temperate Grassland
The Itamaraty Palace, known for its water gardens and arches, serves what function?
The National Library
The National Library
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Presidential Residence
The Presidential Residence
The Supreme Court Building
The Supreme Court Building
What is the term used for the thousands of migrant workers who built Brasília?
Bandeirantes
Bandeirantes
Candangos
Candangos
Operários
Operários
Colonizadores
Colonizadores
What gives Brasília its unique status in the UNESCO World Heritage list?
It was the first modern city to be a World Heritage site
It was the first modern city to be a World Heritage site
It is the only capital city located at such a high elevation
It is the only capital city located at such a high elevation
It is the only UNESCO World Heritage site in South America
It is the only UNESCO World Heritage site in South America
It is the world’s largest planned city by area
It is the world’s largest planned city by area
What is the name of the central thoroughfare that forms the ‘fuselage’ of the city?
The Eixo Rodoviário (Road Axis)
The Eixo Rodoviário (Road Axis)
The Avenida das Nações (Avenue of Nations)
The Avenida das Nações (Avenue of Nations)
The Eixo Monumental (Monumental Axis)
The Eixo Monumental (Monumental Axis)
The Avenida da República (Avenue of the Republic)
The Avenida da República (Avenue of the Republic)
What is a notable traffic-management feature of the original pilot plan for the central city?
The city was designed with no traffic lights
The city was designed with no traffic lights
The city restricted all inner roads to municipal public buses
The city restricted all inner roads to municipal public buses
The city featured a comprehensive grid of one-way streets
The city featured a comprehensive grid of one-way streets
The city implemented a central congestion pricing zone
The city implemented a central congestion pricing zone
Before designing Brasília, Oscar Niemeyer collaborated on which other major modernist project in Minas Gerais?
The Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim Museum
The Pampulha Architectural Complex
The Pampulha Architectural Complex
The Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House
The United Nations Headquarters
The United Nations Headquarters
What is the name of the large artificial lake in Brasília created to improve the local climate and scenery?
Paranoá Lake
Paranoá Lake
São Francisco River
São Francisco River
Tocantins River
Tocantins River
Paranaíba River
Paranaíba River
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