The capital of Brazil is Brasília. It has been the federal capital since its inauguration on April 21, 1960. Brasília was purpose-built to be the capital, located in the Central-West region on a highland plateau, and designed by urban planner Lúcio Costa and architect Oscar Niemeyer
. Before Brasília, Rio de Janeiro served as the capital from 1763 to 1960, and prior to that, Salvador was the first capital during the colonial period starting in 1549
. Brasília is notable for its modernist architecture and urban planning, and it is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
