The Metropolitan Cathedral of Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora stands at the symbolic heart of Goiânia, on the Praça Cívica that was laid out as the centrepiece of the new planned city. The building is a striking example of 1930s ecclesiastical architecture that manages to blend Art Deco rationalism with elements of neo-Gothic verticality.
The interior is cool and spacious, with good stained glass and a painted ceiling that rewards a close look. The cathedral was consecrated in 1942, barely a decade after the city was founded, and serves as the seat of the Archdiocese of Goiânia. The Praça Cívica in front is the civic core of the city, lined with government buildings in matching Art Deco style that give a strong sense of the 1930s urban planning ambition that created Goiânia.