Editing Brasília (section)

=== Background ===
[[File:Pedra fundamental.jpg|thumb|left|The foundation stone of Brasília, Centennial Hill, erected in 1922 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of [[independence of Brazil|Brazil's independence]]]]
Brazil's first capital was [[Salvador, Bahia|Salvador]]; in 1763 [[Rio de Janeiro]] became Brazil's capital and remained so until 1960. During this period, resources tended to be centered in Brazil's southeastern region, and most of the country's population was concentrated near its Atlantic coast.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Epstein |first1=David G. |title=Brasília, Plan and Reality: A Study of Planned and Spontaneous Urban Development |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nSMrAQAAMAAJ |publisher=[[University of New Mexico Press]] |access-date=5 April 2017 |page=26|date=1980 |isbn=9780826309594 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170405170705/https://books.google.com.au/books?id=nSMrAQAAMAAJ |archive-date=5 April 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Brasilia's geographically central location fostered a more regionally neutral federal capital. An article of the country's first [[Brazilian Constitution of 1891|republican constitution]], dated 1891, states that the capital should be moved from Rio de Janeiro to a place close to the country's center.

The idea of relocating Brazil's capital city was conceived in 1827 by [[José Bonifácio]], an advisor to Emperor [[Pedro I of Brazil|Pedro I]]. He presented a plan to the [[Empire of Brazil#Parliament|General Assembly of Brazil]] for a new city called Brasília, with the idea of moving the capital westward from the heavily populated southeastern corridor. The bill was not enacted because Pedro I [[History of the Empire of Brazil|dissolved the Assembly]].

According to a legend, Italian saint [[John Bosco|Don Bosco]] in 1883 had a dream in which he described a futuristic city that roughly fitted Brasília's location.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.santuariodombosco.org.br/bosco.asp |title=São João Bosco |language=pt |work=Don Bosco Sanctuary website |access-date=8 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130321112351/http://santuariodombosco.org.br/bosco.asp |archive-date=21 March 2013}}</ref> In Brasília today, many references to Bosco, who founded the [[Salesian]] order, are found throughout the city and one church parish in the city bears his name.<ref>[http://www.brazil-travel-northeast.com/brasilia-brazil.html About Brasilia Brazil] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002043901/http://www.brazil-travel-northeast.com/brasilia-brazil.html |date=2 October 2013}} {{in lang|en}}</ref>