Guide Note

São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil and the capital of the state of São Paulo. The vast city is also the most populous in the country, in South America and in the southern hemisphere. ¹ Its name honors Saint Paul. São Paulo is the most ethnically diverse city in Brazil, due in part to its need for labor to work on the coffee plantations. For this purpose, African slaves were brought into the country. Then when slavery was abolished in 1888, European immigrants came. Italians began to arrive in record numbers, followed by Spaniards, Germans, Jews, Christian Lebanese, Syrians and Asians. Today, the city is extremely multi-ethnic with people from 100 different ethnic backgrounds. ²

Fast Facts

1. Country: Brazil
2. Mayor: Gilberto Kassab
3. Language spoken: Portuguese
4. Population: over 18 million ³
5. Currency: Brazilian real
6. Country code: 55
7. Area code: 11
8. Time zone: BRT
9. Weather⁴
10. Exchange rate⁵

1. Ibirapuera Park: This park is São Paulo's version of New York's Central Park and offers bike paths, outdoor concerts, an outdoor library and museums. ⁶
2. Museu Arte Brasileira: This museum features not only Brazilian art, but also a wide-range of ever-changing international art. ⁶
3. Museu Casa Brasileira: This home, which was built in 1945 was the long-time residence of Fábio da Silva Prado, the patriarch of one of São Paulo's leading upper-class families. The museum inside displays artifacts such as ornate furniture, porcelain dishes and oil paintings. ⁶
4. Museu do Imigrante: Since the 19th century, 3 million immigrants have gone through the gates of this building. The last group of immigrants to be processed here came through in 1978. The museum shows what it was like to be an immigrant in Brazil. ⁶
5. Pátio do Colégio: This was the original city center. It was here that Manuel de Nóbrega and José de Anchieta founded the College of the Society of Jesus, a Jesuit college. The area is now a museum and all that remains of the 16th century building are the doors and a small area of clay wall. ⁷

Held every two years in the Ciccillo Matarazzo Pavilion in the Parque do Ibirapueraan, the São Paulo Art Biennial is the second oldest art biennial in the world after Venice's Biennial. It is the largest visual arts exhibition in Latin America and is designed to showcase Brazilian as well as international art. Most countries in the world sponsor one or two of their best artists to display their work at the biennial. ⁶

If planning a trip, please see Sao Paulo Hotels, Sao Paulo Restaurants and Sao Paulo Tours.

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