The coat of arms

Coat of arms

A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

 of the Brazilian Federal District

Brazilian Federal District

The Federal District is set apart for Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Located in a region called Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, the Federal District is divided in 29 administrative regions. Brasilia - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main...

was conceived by the poet Guilherme de Almeida

Guilherme de Almeida

Guilherme de Andrade e Almeida was a lawyer, journalist, film critic, poet, essayist and Brazilian translator...

, and instituted on September 12, 1960. Avoiding traditional heraldry

Heraldry

Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...

, the design features innovative shapes, similar to the architecture of the Brazilian capital created by Oscar Niemeyer

Oscar Niemeyer

Oscar Ribeiro de Almeida Niemeyer Soares Filho is a Brazilian architect specializing in international modern architecture...

.

The shield, whose format is based on the columns of the Palácio da Alvorada

Palácio da Alvorada

The Palácio da Alvorada is the official residence of the President of Brazil. The palace was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and inaugurated on June 30, 1958.The name comes from the quote of Juscelino Kubitschek:or, in English:-Architecture:...

, is divided into green and gold. The colours, however, are not of the shade of the Brazilian flag

Flag of Brazil

The national flag of Brazil is a blue disc depicting a starry sky spanned by a curved band inscribed with the national motto, within a yellow rhombus, on a green field. Brazil officially adopted this design for its national flag on November 19, 1889, replacing the flag of the second Empire of Brazil...

, resembling more the ones used on the flag of the Brazilian Federal District

Flag of the Brazilian Federal District

The flag of the Brazilian Federal District was created by the poet Guilherme de Almeida, and officialized on August 26, 1969. The Cross of Brasília in the center symbolizes the indigenous heritage and the strength that hails in all directions. White stands for peace and green stands for the...

. It bears, in the center, a green shield with the so-called Cross of Brasília

Brasília

Brasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...

, formed of four diverging arrows that symbolize the action of power, topped by a meeting table, indicating to be there the place of the National Congress of Brazil

National Congress of Brazil

The National Congress of Brazil is the legislative body of Brazil's federal government.Unlike regional legislative bodies – Legislative Assemblies and City Councils -, the Congress is bicameral, composed of the Federal Senate and the Chamber of Deputies .The Senate represents the 26 states and...

. Below, in Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

, the motto of the District: venturis ventis ("to the coming winds").