Praça da Sé

Praça da Sé (English: See Square) is a public space in São Paulo, Brazil. Considered as the city's central point, it is the point from where the distance of all roads passing through São Paulo are counted. The square was the location of many historic events in São Paulo's history, most notably during the Diretas Já movement. The name originates from the episcopal see of the city, the São Paulo Cathedral.

History

Cathedral square in a photo of 1880 by Marc Ferrez. The old Cathedral of São Paulo is the church to the right.

Originally known as Largo da Sé (Field of the See), the square developed around the religious building which preceded the cathedral and surrounding edifices. At the beginning of the 20th century, older structures were demolished and the downtown area reconstructed according to the urban planning of the time. Its geography has remained mostly unchanged since.

Landscape project

The current landscape is the result of a 1970s project by architects led by José Eduardo de Assis Lefèvre. The opening of a nearby São Paulo Metro station required the leveling of an entire city block, requiring an entirely new landscaping infrastructure.

The architects were heavily influenced by contemporary landscaping works underway in the west coast of the US (such as those by Lawrence Halprin), characterized by rigorous geometry, through multiple levels with reflecting pools and prism-like land masses.

Renovation

The square underwent a significant revitalisation during 2006, having been partially re-inaugurated on January 25, 2007 (the city's anniversary) by then-mayor Gilberto Kassab. The renovation came under intense criticism by NGOs working with the homeless who claimed that the new square reduced the space available for existing homeless people^[1]

The renovation includes the relocation of flower boxes, the increase in the integration between existing sculptures and their surroundings and the introduction of pedestrian overpasses over the existing reflecting pools.

Marco Zero, in the square, is considered the official central point of São Paulo.

See also

• São Paulo Cathedral
• Sé

References

1. ↑ Folha Online - Protestos de sem-teto abafam comemorações do aniversário de São Paulo

Bibliography

• MACEDO, Silvio Soares e ROBBA, Fábio; Praças brasileiras; São Paulo:Edusp; ISBN 85-314-0656-0

External links

• Sampa.art.br (Portuguese)
• Historical Assets Administration of the City of São Paulo (Portuguese)
• SampaCentro (Portuguese)

v t e Popular visitor attractions in São Paulo São Paulo Museum of Art São Paulo Cathedral Edifício Itália Paulista Avenue Octávio Frias de Oliveira Bridge Altino Arantes Building Rua Oscar Freire Praça da Sé Central Zone of São Paulo Ibirapuera Park Ibirapuera Auditorium Liberdade Obelisk of São Paulo Anhembi Convention Center Luz Station Martinelli Building Edifício Copan Museu Paulista Museum of the Portuguese Language Pátio do Colégio Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo Estádio do Morumbi Estádio do Pacaembu Brooklin Jardins Vila Olímpia Municipal Theatre of São Paulo

Coordinates: 23°33′01″S 46°38′02″W / 23.55028°S 46.63389°W / -23.55028; -46.63389