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Separated from the commercial centres and the downtown Rodoviaria by the esplanade of ministry buildings, the area known as the Power Complex comprises the Congresso Nacional, Palacio da Justica, Palacio Itamarati, Palacio Planalto, Museu Historico and the Supremo Tribunal. All of these places are within a few minutes' walk of each other, entrance is free and they can be seen in half a day, though you can easily spend more time than this exploring if you get sidetracked. At the centre of the complex is the Praca dos Tres Poderes (Square of Three Powers), representing the forces emanating from the Congress, the judiciary and the Foreign Office. The Congresso Nacional (guided tours only; tel 061/311-4141 for information on tour times to the Senate, tel 061/318-5151 for information on tour times to the House of Representatives) is the heart of legislative power and one of the most obvious landmarks in Brasilia - in a way, everything else flows from here. If you accept the analogy of the city built as a bird, then the National Congress is its beak, something it clearly resembles with its twin 28-storey towers. The two hemispheres, one on either side of the towers, house the Senate Chamber (the smaller, inverted one) and the House of Representatives. They were designed so that the public could climb and play on them, but no more: the only people allowed to play there now are the patrolling soldiers of the Policia Militar. Still, the egalitarian principle survives elsewhere: the Congresso Nacional permits visitors to attend debates when in session, something you might want to enquire about. The Palacio da Justica (Mon-Fri noon-6pm) is beside the Congress building, on the northern side of the Esplanada dos Ministerios. Created in 1960 with a concrete facade by the socialist architect Niemeyer (who eventually won the Lenin Peace Prize for his overall work), the building was covered with fancy - and, to many, elitist - marble tiles by the military government during the dictatorship. Now that democracy rules once again, the tiles have been removed, laying bare the concrete, artificial waterfalls flowing between the pillars. On the southern side of the Congress building stands the Palacio Itamarati (Mon-Fri; tel 061/211-6161 for permission to visit), the vast Foreign Office structure. Combining modern and classical styles, it's built around elegant courtyards, sculptures and gardens. Outside, the marble Meteor sculpture by Bruno Giorgi is a stunning piece of work, its five parts representing the five continents, the water underneath symbolic of the divinity. There are also some fascinating water gardens here and, inside, a good art collection of Brazilian and other works. Behind the Congresso Nacional, on the northern side, the Palacio do Planalto houses the president's office. This is generally closed to visitors, but there's usually a changing of the guard out front at 8.30am and 5.30pm daily. Nearby in Praca dos Tres Poderes, the Museu Historico de Brasilia (Mon-Sat 9am-1pm & 2-5pm) is of limited interest to most, telling the tale of the transfer of the capital from the coast to the central planalto. The Supremo Tribunal Federal (Mon-Fri 1-7pm) - the Supreme Court - is open to the public, although entrance is with formal dress only (no shorts and T-shirts); outside there's a concrete monument to Justice. From here, you can take a bus to the downtown Rodoviaria, or it's a twenty-minute walk west through the esplanade of ministry buildings to the cathedral and downtown commercial centre.
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