Pampulha

Pampulha (Portuguese pronunciation: [pɐ̃ˈpuʎɐ]) is a man-made lake located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. It is also the name of the immediate surrounding residential neighborhood (primarily to the East and South) and the name of the administrative region that comprises other neighborhoods around it.

Many of Belo Horizonte's cultural landmarks are located around or close to the Pampulha lake, including the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, the soccer stadium Mineirão, the Mineirinho Arena, the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi (designed by Oscar Niemeyer) and the Museum of Modern Art.

The lake was built in the early 1940s during the mayoralty of Juscelino Kubitschek. For the surroundings, Oscar Niemeyer designed a group of buildings that became a reference point and influence on modern Brazilian architecture. These include the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Art Museum, the Casa de Baile ("house of dance", in a loose translation) and the Tennis Club. The Burle Marx gardens, paintings by Portinari and sculptures by Ceschiatti, Zamoiski and José Pedrosa complete and enhance the project conceived for the lake.

By the side of the lake are a number of leisure facilities such as the Governor Magalhães Pinto Stadium (better known as "Mineirão"), the Mineirinho gymnasium, the Botanical Gardens, the Zoo, the Ecological Park, the Equestrian Centre and tracks for cycling and walking.

Areas

The neighborhood of Santa Amélia is located in Pampulha. The Escola Japonesa de Belo Horizonte (ベロ・オリゾンテ日本人学校 Bero Orizonte Nihonjin Gakkō), a.k.a. Instituto Cultural Mokuyoo-Kai Sociedade Civil, was a Japanese international school located in Santa Amélia.