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I often call Belo Horizonte the most underrated city in Brazil. If you’re planning an itinerary for two weeks in Brazil, the odds are you aren’t going to make space for Belo Horizonte (even if the restaurants are sensational). Without the global name recognition of Ipanema or the sprawling beaches of the Northeast, Belo Horizonte is often left behind.
However, in my opinion, this is just failed marketing. Belo Horizonte is actually home to one of the greatest treasures in Brazil: the Pampulha Modern Ensemble.
Built in the 1940s, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble was designed with the clear objective of giving the city of Belo Horizonte a remarkable piece of art, with four unique buildings built around an artificial lake. Now you’re probably thinking: am I really allocating time in my Brazil itinerary to look at a bunch of buildings?
I can assure you that taking half a day to explore Pampulha, Belo Horizonte is one of the most underrated and unique experiences of Brazil. It also happens to be our number one thing to do in Belo Horizonte. But, best of all, you’ll unquestionably leave Belo Horizonte with a new, deep insight into the world of Brazilian modernism.
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Before You Go: Oscar Niemeyer and Pampulha, Belo Horizonte
Few individuals have left their mark on Brazil as much as Oscar Niemeyer. From the iconic buildings of Brazil’s purpose-built capital, Brasilia, to the Mac de Niteroi Museum overlooking Rio de Janeiro, it’s almost as if Brazil was Niemeyer’s personal canvas.
A pioneer of Brazilian Modernism, Niemeyer was central to the design and architectural trends which shaped Brazil throughout the 20th century. As the country sought a new national identity, Niemeyer’s architecture offered an avantgarde vision. Most famously, Niemeyer’s modernism used clean white forms and structures to harmoniously and inoffensively merge with Brazil’s natural beauty.
Pampulha, Belo Horizonte embodies the best of Brazilian modernism. With Oscar Niemeyer at the lead, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble brought some of the greatest minds of Braizlian modernism together.
Here, the giants of Latin American design radically reshaped Latin American conceptions of architecture. Using subtle colors, clean lines and avantgarde shapes, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble effortlessly harmonizes with the Pampulha Lagoon.
Getting around Pampulha, Belo Horizonte
Pampulha is located around 11 kilometres north of Savassi (the best area to stay in Belo Horizonte). I’d recommend simply taking an Uber for the 30 – 40 minute ride.
Once in Pampulha, walk between the sites on the map below. Alternatively, Bike Pampulha offers bicycles to make the most of the lakeside pathways. Regardless, you’ll enjoy meandering beneath the mango trees. Take the time to admire the grand houses lining the lake, home to many of Belo Horizonte’s rich and famous.
Alternatively, if you would prefer a professional level of architectural design explanation, I particularly enjoy this tour which covers Pampulha and Oscar Niemeyer’s impact on Belo Horizonte.
Self-guided city tour of Pampulha, Belo Horizonte
1. Casa do Baile
As soon as you enter the Casa do Baile you can immediately feel the magic of attending a party here. Surrounded by a spectacular lagoon, tropical parrots and the characteristic curves of Oscar Niemeyer, the Casa do Baile was a famous restaurant and dance hall throughout the 1940s. For decades, the who’s who of Brazilian society would frequent the Casa do Baile’s disco.
Inspired by Japanese temple design, the Casa do Baile is the only building in the Pampulha Modern Ensemble to be constructed in the middle of an artificial island. To enter, you’ll cross a small bridge, surrounded by lagoons and lilies. The landscaping here is designed by Brule Marx, a famous Brazilian landscape artist.
Today, you’ll find a small reference centre which shares the history behind the construction of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, including an excellent Portuguese-language short video.
2. Iate Tênis Clube
The next stop on your architecture tour of Pampulha, Belo Horzionte is the Yacht Tennis Club. In many ways, this club inverts the quintessential image of a house with a triangle roof. Rather, the Pampulha Yacht Tennis Club offers an opposite design, with the roof leaning inwards. In line with the club’s nautical theme, the building is designed to represent an anchored ship.
Despite being one of the smaller sites of Pampulha, the new architectural style of the Yacht Tennis Club went on to characterize many new projects across Brazil. The club is still in use today, but if you have a form of identification handy the guards usually let you take a walk around for free.
3. São Francisco de Assis Church
If you only visit one site in Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, it should be the São Francisco de Assis Church.
Often called the church of Pampulha, the curved and modernistic style of the church horrified the conservative clergy of Belo Horizonte. While the church’s construction ended in 1943, the Brazilian church authorities refused to consecrate the church for 14 years, prohibiting all Catholic services.
The church is full of mosaic panels and you’ll want to pay for the entry ticket to admire the interior.
4. Mirante Niemeyer
About halfway between stops 3 and 5 you’ll find the Mirante Niemeyer. By now you should be able to identify this small viewpoint as being a Niemeyer classic. From here, you’ll enjoy the best views of the São Francisco de Assis Church and be grateful for the perfect rest stop.
5. Museu Casa Kubitschek
Some museums offer history lessons, others share art. But this museum gives insight into how Belo Horizonte’s most important person of the 1940s lived. Built in 1943 for then Belo Horizonte Mayor (and driver of Pampulha) Juscelino Kubitschek, this home museum offers a deep dive into the interrelationship between Brazilian modernism, art and home design.
Across the road (on the lagoon side), you’ll find the monument to ‘Eterna Modernidade’. This monument includes sculptures of JK (as he is colloquially known), with the artists responsible for Pampulha: Oscar Niemeyer, Cândido Protinari and Burle Marx.
6. Museu de Art da Pampulha (MAP)
The first of Niemeyer’s Pampulha projects, the Pampulha Museum of Art first opened in 1942 as a casino. Attracting gamblers from around Brazil, Pampulha quickly became the nightlife capital of Brazil. As you can imagine, being able to see both a casino and a nightclub from the church heavily influenced the scandal surrounding Niemeyer’s project.
After various incarnations, the building today operates as an art museum and is home to some of the most beautiful gardens in Pampulha. Unfortunately, the museum is currently closed for restorations – but stay tuned, as we hope it will reopen in 2025. In the meantime, feel free to pop by and simply enjoy the gardens or admire the architecture (from the outside).
The museum sits at the other side of the Pampulha lagoon. If you’re on a bike, you can enjoy the ride over. Otherwise, I recommend calling a quick Uber to whizz you over to the other side of Pampulha Lagoon.
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