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The old Vila Amaury, flooded in 1959, reveals structures, objects, and accounts that show the daily lives of the workers and the impact of the creation of Lake Paranoá
A historic transformation marked the construction of Brasília and, at the same time, gave rise to one of the most curious scenes in the country, as Vila Amaury, which housed about 16,000 workers during the capital’s construction, was completely submerged in 1959 with the formation of Lake Paranoá. This process created a submerged city preserved at a depth of about 15 meters, which today serves as a true record of the past and, moreover, has come to be recognized as an underwater archaeological site, where divers find traces of the pioneers’ daily lives. The presence of foundations, staircases, and personal objects reinforces the historical value of the region and highlights the scale of the former community, which remains alive in the memory of the capital’s construction.
The lake’s formation altered the community’s destiny
Vila Amaury was not just a temporary settlement, as it had churches, schools, and active commerce, which characterized a structured community, although its location in a valley determined that the area would be directly impacted by the dam’s construction. In 1959, with the progress of the works and the closing of the floodgates, the residents’ departure became mandatory, even though there was resistance, as many sought housing guarantees before leaving the site. According to Professor Maria Fernanda Derntl, from the University of Brasília (UnB), in a statement to the newspaper O Globo, the occupation was already considered temporary from the beginning, and therefore, the village was destined to disappear with the lake’s formation. With the rapid rise of the water level, which reached the residents’ knees, NOVACAP ordered an immediate evacuation, which led to a population reorganization and contributed to the emergence of regions like Taguatinga, Gama, and Sobradinho.
Abandoned objects reinforce the historical value
The hasty removal caused many residents to leave personal belongings behind, and thus, items like bottles, glasses, shoes, and even vehicles remain submerged to this day, serving as material witnesses of that period. Currently, technical divers explore the area and document these structures, while photographer Beto Barata, born in Brasília, emphasizes that the experience goes beyond a professional activity and involves a direct connection with the city’s memory. According to him, the site represents a repository of the workers’ memories, where each object found reveals part of the history of the capital’s construction and reinforces the human dimension of this process.
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Lake conditions require advanced technical diving
Diving in Lake Paranoá requires technical preparation, as visibility is limited and complicates underwater navigation, which makes the activity more challenging. According to Beto Barata, this characteristic contributes to the training of more experienced divers, since buoyancy control and orientation become essential during explorations. In deeper areas, near the dam, the bed can reach a depth of about 40 meters, and, during one of these dives, an old pier was identified at approximately 37 meters, expanding the understanding of the old village’s structure and its organization.
The Lake Paranoá project consolidated JK’s vision
The creation of Lake Paranoá was championed by President Juscelino Kubitschek, responsible for the construction of Brasília, who considered the lake essential for the city, defining it as the capital’s “liquid frame”. Despite the geological challenges faced during the works, conducted by the company Raymond Concrete Pile of the Americas, the project was completed as planned, which confirmed the proposal’s viability and consolidated the lake as a fundamental part of the urban landscape. Faced with initial criticism, JK responded directly to the project’s success, reinforcing the construction’s impact not only on the urban aspect but also as a symbol of engineering and the capital’s consolidation.
Submerged legacy connects past and present
The old Vila Amaury remains as one of the main historical records of the construction of Brasília, even submerged, as its structures continue to reveal details of the daily lives of the workers and the formation of the city. The combination of history, engineering, and memory transforms the site into a point of interest for researchers and divers, while reinforcing the importance of preserving this invisible heritage that endures beneath the waters of Lake Paranoá, raising an inevitable question: how many stories still remain hidden in this silent scenery?
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