Pampulha is the northern part of the city of Belo Horizonte, located around the artificial lake of the same name. It was designed by Oscar Niemayer as a modern urban complex and has been on the UNESCO list since 2016.
In 1942, the then prefect of Belo Horizonte, the later president of Brazil, Juscelino Kubitschek, decided to expand the northern district of the city around the artificial lake Pampulha. For this purpose, he hired the architect Oscar Niemeyer, who, together with several associates, created the design of a neighborhood of the future, immersed in greenery and created by modernist buildings designed as a combination of architecture, sculpture and ceramics.
Today's Pampulha is primarily a district of entertainment and cultural events. Visiting it is primarily a walk along the shores of Lake Pampulha covered with parks. There are, among others The São Francisco de Assis Chapel, the Museum housed in the former casino, the Kubitschek Museum in the former residence of the prefect, and the Casa do Baile, designed as a meeting place and entertainment for the local elite.
Pampulha's attractions also include the Zoobotanica garden with a large collection of tropical plants and animals, and Guanabara Park, with entertainment such as a ferris wheel or carousels.
