Historic Center of São Paulo
Centro Histórico de São Paulo | |
---|---|
Foundation | January 25th, 1554 |
Boroughs | Sé District República District |
Area | |
• Total | 4.4 km2 (1.7 sq mi) |
Population | |
• Total | 64.366 |
The Historic Center of São Paulo (Portuguese: Centro Histórico de São Paulo), also known as Centro, is a neighborhood in the Central Zone of the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil. It corresponds to the area where the city was founded on January 25, 1554, by the Jesuit priests António Vieira, Joseph of Anchieta and Manuel da Nobrega. It is composed of the Sé and República districts and features most of the buildings that portray the city's history, such as the Pátio do Colégio, the location of its establishment. [1]
The area is home to several cultural centers, bars, restaurants, museums, most of the city's tourist attractions and municipal and state government offices. [1]
The State Secretariat for Sport and Tourism promotes walking tours of the area, allowing locals and visitors to see the most diverse buildings, such as: the São Paulo Bank, a construction currently used by the São Paulo State Department of Tourism; the B3 headquarters, where visitors can watch transactions on a big screen; the St Benedict's Monastery, where masses are held at 10 a.m. on Sundays; the Martinelli Building, the first skyscraper in South America; the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center, which has exhibition halls, a cinema, a theater, a restaurant, an auditorium and bookstores; the Municipal Theater of São Paulo, with free concerts on Wednesdays; and the Sé Cathedral. [1] [2]
Although it is common to consider the Sé and República districts as the historic center of São Paulo, the title truly belongs to the Sé district, more specifically to the area between Largo de São Francisco, Largo São Bento and Sé Square, which form the "historical triangle" where a Jesuit college was built and from which the settlement, and later the town of São Paulo de Piratininga, originated. [1]
The portion of the city center included in the definition of "historic center" was occupied later and today corresponds to the República district, located at the end of the Santa Ifigênia Viaduct and the Viaduto do Chá. Although this region concentrates a considerable number of São Paulo's historic landmarks, such as the Municipal Theatre, Ladeira da Memória, the Mário de Andrade Library and Republic Square, it is officially called the Centro Novo ( English: New Center). [3]
During the Revolution of 1924, the area was bombed by federal government planes. The legalist army under Artur Bernardes used the so-called "terrifying bombardment", hitting several points in the city, especially working-class neighborhoods such as Mooca, Ipiranga, Brás, Belenzinho and Centro. [4]
Over the course of the 20th century, the historic center of São Paulo reached its economic and social apogee, as well as its maximum degradation. At the same time, the city's economic centrality migrated in a south-westerly direction with the emergence of the Paulista Avenue business center and, later, Brigadeiro Faria Lima Avenue. More recently, the creation of a large commercial pole extending through the Vila Olímpia area and the Engenheiro Luis Carlos Berrini and Chucri Zaidan avenues, in the vicinity of Nações Unidas Avenue ( Marginal Pinheiros), has intensified this process. [3] [5]
Until the 1970s, the historic center of São Paulo, already with a consolidated infrastructure and filled with large corporations and skyscrapers, still concentrated a significant part of the large national and foreign companies based in the city. In its narrow streets, where cars and pedestrians struggled to share the little space available, there was room for large department stores, household appliances, bookstores and restaurants of all kinds, with their facades full of advertisements that characterized the urban profile of the streets. [6]
However, during this same period, the area was already experiencing the effects of severe urban decay, such as the transfer of the headquarters of many companies to other parts of the city, the heavy deterioration of the public space, the increase in crime rates, the process of real estate speculation in abandoned and unmaintained properties, the increase in the number of people living on the streets, the emergence of many tenements and the deterioration in the quality of life, which discouraged a large part of the population already established in the area from remaining there. This led to an emptying of the area's population, which would worsen continuously and acutely until the early 1990s, when, faced with a picture of profound and absolutely obvious degradation, the government began a process of urban requalification of the central part of the city. [6]
Among the initial measures of the urban requalification policy in the central area of the city was the transfer of the City Hall headquarters, which until then had been located inside Ibirapuera Park, to the Palácio das Indústrias. [7] Ten years later, it was moved back to the corner of Líbero Badaró Street and Viaduto do Chá, where it is today. The Largo São Bento and the Municipal Theatre were also renovated and remodeled, and the traffic lanes in the Anhangabaú Valley were filled in, where an exclusive area was set up for pedestrians to use as a square. [3]
For most of its history, the historic center of São Paulo was the financial hub and the largest commercial, banking and service center in the city. The region still preserves a vigorous street trade and a significant range of services, but the massive relocation of the headquarters of financial institutions, luxury retailers and restaurants is visible. However, the Stock Exchange is still based in the area today. [1]
The existence of large skyscrapers that were once the national or regional headquarters of major Brazilian and foreign financial institutions shows the economic power that lived there. The main banks were Banespa, with its headquarters in the famous Altino Arantes Building, Banco Mercantil de São Paulo, which had its premises in the Mercantil Finasa Building, and Unibanco, based in the Barão de Iguape Building, in Patriarca Square. Banco do Brasil, which began its activities in São Paulo in a branch at the intersection of Quitanda and Álvares Penteado streets, where the local unit of the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center now stands, built a 142-meter-high building in the historic center of São Paulo in the 1950s to serve as its regional headquarters in the state. [8] [9] [10]
On September 3, 1976, in line with a model that emerged in Germany in the 1930s, twenty traditional streets in the central region were closed to motor vehicle traffic, making them exclusively for pedestrians. The then mayor of the municipality, Olavo Egídio Setúbal, tried to encourage the population to use public transport as a priority. [11]
At the time, the historic center was still the financial hub of the city, and the measure was received with much criticism and trepidation. After these streets were closed to vehicles, local traders began to complain about a considerable drop in customer traffic. However, even today the so-called calçadões remain one of the most striking urban features of São Paulo's historic center. [11]
The concentration of a large number of historical, architectural and cultural landmarks highlights the region's popularity among tourists and visitors. Among the events is the Caminhada Noturna ( English: Night Walk), a free tour of the city center held about a decade ago, which takes place every Thursday starting on the steps of the Municipal Theater at 8 pm. [12] Some of the most popular and well-known tourist attractions are:
Today, the historic center of São Paulo is also characterized by old abandoned buildings. Formerly luxurious architectural projects, they are now home to vulnerable populations. Among these structures, some were large spaces dedicated to the cinema, with several screening rooms. [6]
Historic Center of São Paulo
Centro Histórico de São Paulo | |
---|---|
Foundation | January 25th, 1554 |
Boroughs | Sé District República District |
Area | |
• Total | 4.4 km2 (1.7 sq mi) |
Population | |
• Total | 64.366 |
The Historic Center of São Paulo (Portuguese: Centro Histórico de São Paulo), also known as Centro, is a neighborhood in the Central Zone of the municipality of São Paulo, Brazil. It corresponds to the area where the city was founded on January 25, 1554, by the Jesuit priests António Vieira, Joseph of Anchieta and Manuel da Nobrega. It is composed of the Sé and República districts and features most of the buildings that portray the city's history, such as the Pátio do Colégio, the location of its establishment. [1]
The area is home to several cultural centers, bars, restaurants, museums, most of the city's tourist attractions and municipal and state government offices. [1]
The State Secretariat for Sport and Tourism promotes walking tours of the area, allowing locals and visitors to see the most diverse buildings, such as: the São Paulo Bank, a construction currently used by the São Paulo State Department of Tourism; the B3 headquarters, where visitors can watch transactions on a big screen; the St Benedict's Monastery, where masses are held at 10 a.m. on Sundays; the Martinelli Building, the first skyscraper in South America; the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center, which has exhibition halls, a cinema, a theater, a restaurant, an auditorium and bookstores; the Municipal Theater of São Paulo, with free concerts on Wednesdays; and the Sé Cathedral. [1] [2]
Although it is common to consider the Sé and República districts as the historic center of São Paulo, the title truly belongs to the Sé district, more specifically to the area between Largo de São Francisco, Largo São Bento and Sé Square, which form the "historical triangle" where a Jesuit college was built and from which the settlement, and later the town of São Paulo de Piratininga, originated. [1]
The portion of the city center included in the definition of "historic center" was occupied later and today corresponds to the República district, located at the end of the Santa Ifigênia Viaduct and the Viaduto do Chá. Although this region concentrates a considerable number of São Paulo's historic landmarks, such as the Municipal Theatre, Ladeira da Memória, the Mário de Andrade Library and Republic Square, it is officially called the Centro Novo ( English: New Center). [3]
During the Revolution of 1924, the area was bombed by federal government planes. The legalist army under Artur Bernardes used the so-called "terrifying bombardment", hitting several points in the city, especially working-class neighborhoods such as Mooca, Ipiranga, Brás, Belenzinho and Centro. [4]
Over the course of the 20th century, the historic center of São Paulo reached its economic and social apogee, as well as its maximum degradation. At the same time, the city's economic centrality migrated in a south-westerly direction with the emergence of the Paulista Avenue business center and, later, Brigadeiro Faria Lima Avenue. More recently, the creation of a large commercial pole extending through the Vila Olímpia area and the Engenheiro Luis Carlos Berrini and Chucri Zaidan avenues, in the vicinity of Nações Unidas Avenue ( Marginal Pinheiros), has intensified this process. [3] [5]
Until the 1970s, the historic center of São Paulo, already with a consolidated infrastructure and filled with large corporations and skyscrapers, still concentrated a significant part of the large national and foreign companies based in the city. In its narrow streets, where cars and pedestrians struggled to share the little space available, there was room for large department stores, household appliances, bookstores and restaurants of all kinds, with their facades full of advertisements that characterized the urban profile of the streets. [6]
However, during this same period, the area was already experiencing the effects of severe urban decay, such as the transfer of the headquarters of many companies to other parts of the city, the heavy deterioration of the public space, the increase in crime rates, the process of real estate speculation in abandoned and unmaintained properties, the increase in the number of people living on the streets, the emergence of many tenements and the deterioration in the quality of life, which discouraged a large part of the population already established in the area from remaining there. This led to an emptying of the area's population, which would worsen continuously and acutely until the early 1990s, when, faced with a picture of profound and absolutely obvious degradation, the government began a process of urban requalification of the central part of the city. [6]
Among the initial measures of the urban requalification policy in the central area of the city was the transfer of the City Hall headquarters, which until then had been located inside Ibirapuera Park, to the Palácio das Indústrias. [7] Ten years later, it was moved back to the corner of Líbero Badaró Street and Viaduto do Chá, where it is today. The Largo São Bento and the Municipal Theatre were also renovated and remodeled, and the traffic lanes in the Anhangabaú Valley were filled in, where an exclusive area was set up for pedestrians to use as a square. [3]
For most of its history, the historic center of São Paulo was the financial hub and the largest commercial, banking and service center in the city. The region still preserves a vigorous street trade and a significant range of services, but the massive relocation of the headquarters of financial institutions, luxury retailers and restaurants is visible. However, the Stock Exchange is still based in the area today. [1]
The existence of large skyscrapers that were once the national or regional headquarters of major Brazilian and foreign financial institutions shows the economic power that lived there. The main banks were Banespa, with its headquarters in the famous Altino Arantes Building, Banco Mercantil de São Paulo, which had its premises in the Mercantil Finasa Building, and Unibanco, based in the Barão de Iguape Building, in Patriarca Square. Banco do Brasil, which began its activities in São Paulo in a branch at the intersection of Quitanda and Álvares Penteado streets, where the local unit of the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center now stands, built a 142-meter-high building in the historic center of São Paulo in the 1950s to serve as its regional headquarters in the state. [8] [9] [10]
On September 3, 1976, in line with a model that emerged in Germany in the 1930s, twenty traditional streets in the central region were closed to motor vehicle traffic, making them exclusively for pedestrians. The then mayor of the municipality, Olavo Egídio Setúbal, tried to encourage the population to use public transport as a priority. [11]
At the time, the historic center was still the financial hub of the city, and the measure was received with much criticism and trepidation. After these streets were closed to vehicles, local traders began to complain about a considerable drop in customer traffic. However, even today the so-called calçadões remain one of the most striking urban features of São Paulo's historic center. [11]
The concentration of a large number of historical, architectural and cultural landmarks highlights the region's popularity among tourists and visitors. Among the events is the Caminhada Noturna ( English: Night Walk), a free tour of the city center held about a decade ago, which takes place every Thursday starting on the steps of the Municipal Theater at 8 pm. [12] Some of the most popular and well-known tourist attractions are:
Today, the historic center of São Paulo is also characterized by old abandoned buildings. Formerly luxurious architectural projects, they are now home to vulnerable populations. Among these structures, some were large spaces dedicated to the cinema, with several screening rooms. [6]