Renowned for its modernist lines and futuristic design, Brasilia is a study in urban planning and the only city built in the 20th century to be counted among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. Where only five years before its inception there was desert, now there are innovative buildings and imaginative monuments, ranging from the hyperboloid Cathedral of Brasilia to the lunar-esque Complexo Cultural da Republica to the glass-box Palacio da Alvorada.