The Praça Cívica is the formal centrepiece of Goiânia's 1930s urban plan, a large formal square flanked by the state government palace, the cathedral, and matching Art Deco administrative buildings. The ensemble was designed as a monumental civic statement for the new capital of Goiás, and it succeeds — the proportion of the square and the consistency of the surrounding architecture create a genuinely imposing public space.
In practice, the square serves as a venue for political demonstrations (Goiânia is a politically engaged city), weekend markets, and everyday passage. The bronze statue at the centre is of Pedro Ludovico Teixeira, the governor who founded Goiânia, and it faces the government palace with the confidence of a man who knew he had done something lasting. Walking the square in the early morning, before the traffic builds, is the best way to appreciate the quality of the 1930s planning.