Pampulha Modern Ensemble

The Pampulha Modern Ensemble is a 1940s urban project in Belo Horizonte's Pampulha district, built around an artificial lake. It features buildings by architect Oscar Niemeyer, with landscape design by Roberto Burle Marx and contributions from Brazilian Modernist artists and structural engineer Joaquim Cardozo. The complex includes a former casino (now the Pampulha Art Museum), a ballroom (Casa do Baile), the Golf Yacht Club (now Iate Tênis Clube), and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi. In July 2016, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its outstanding examples of modern architecture and its role in shaping Brazilian architectural identity.

Don't miss

• The Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, designed by Oscar Niemeyer, which was initially rejected by the Catholic Church due to its modernist form.
• The Iate Tênis Clube, a world-famous club founded as part of the Pampulha Architectural Complex.
• The Pampulha Art Museum, housed in the original casino building designed by Niemeyer.
• The Casa do Baile, a ballroom that is part of the ensemble's original design.
• The artificial Lake Pampulha, around which the entire project was conceived.

Tickets & tours

Ways to visit Pampulha Modern Ensemble

Cheapest way inInhotim - one of the largest open air museums in the World4.6★ · 48 travelers~10 hoursFree cancellationFrom$135 per personSee dates →

Know before you go

• The ensemble groups the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, the former casino, the Casa do Baile, and the yacht club around Lake Pampulha.
• Oscar Niemeyer's buildings are paired with landscapes designed by Roberto Burle Marx.
• The former casino now houses the Pampulha Art Museum.

A bit of history

The Catholic Church refused to consecrate the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi for more than a decade because its design was considered unconventional for a church.