[2][3] In the square access to the cathedral are four 2.5-meter (8 ft 2 in) tall bronze sculptures representing the four Evangelists, created by sculptors Alfredo Ceschiatti and Dante Croce in 1968.

[5][6] At the entrance of the cathedral is a pillar with passages from the life of Mary, mother of Jesus, painted by Athos.

A 12-meter (39 ft) wide, 40-centimeter (16 in) deep reflecting pool surrounds the cathedral roof and helps cool the building.

Under this is suspended a 2,000-square-meter (22,000 sq ft) stained glass work created in 1990 by Marianne Peretti in shades of blue, green, white and brown.

These columns, having hyperbolic section and weighing 90 tonnes (99 tons), represent two hands moving upwards to heaven.

Once the presidential term of Juscelino Kubitschek ended, the big push to finish many structures in Brasília stalled.

The ovoid baptistry was dedicated on October 5, 1977, and the cathedral was declared a national historic and artistic monument on July 15, 1990.

[1] Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Brasília, major renovations were begun on April 21, 2012 to update and repair the building and infrastructure, and address issues with the roof.