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 historical 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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Marc_Ferrez_-_IMS_002001MF005003.jpg/220px-Marc_Ferrez_-_IMS_002001MF005003.jpg)
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 was reconstructed according to the time's urban planning. 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 on the US's west coast (such as those by Lawrence Halprin), characterized by rigorous geometry, through multiple levels with reflecting pools and prism-like land masses.
Renovation
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Intera%C3%A7%C3%A3o_Social_com_Monumento_Marco_Zero.jpg/220px-Intera%C3%A7%C3%A3o_Social_com_Monumento_Marco_Zero.jpg)
The square underwent a significant revitalization 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.
Monuments
Image | Name | Creator | Year of creation | Material | Category on Commons | Monument ID | Sculpture ID |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Abertura | Amílcar de Castro | 1979 | iron | Abertura by Amilcar de Castro | [1] | |
![]() | Condor | Bruno Giorgi | 1979 | bronze | Condor by Bruno Giorgi (bronze, 1979) | [2] | [3] |
![]() | Diálogo | Franz Weissmann | 1979 | steel | Diálogo by Franz Weissmann | [4] | [5] |
![]() | Emblem of São Paulo | Rubem Valentim | 1979 | concrete reinforced concrete | Emblema de São Paulo by Rubem Valentim | [6] | [7] |
![]() | Espaço Cósmico | Yutaka Toyota | 1979 | stainless steel granite steel | Espaço Cósmico | [8] | [9] |
![]() | Garatuja | Marcello Nitsche | 1979 | zinc iron steel polyurethane | Garatuja | [10] | [11] |
![]() | Impacto | Mário Cravo | stainless steel granite | Impacto by Mário Cravo | [12] | ||
![]() | José de Anchieta | Heitor Usai | 1954 | bronze | José de Anchieta by Heitor Usai (bronze, 1954) | [13] | [14] |
Number zero survey marker of the city of São Paulo | Jean Gabriel Villin | marble bronze granite | Marco Zero (São Paulo) | [15] | |||
![]() | Nuvem sobre a Cidade | Nicolas Vlavianos | 1979 | stainless steel steel | Nuvem sobre a Cidade by Nicolas Vlavianos | [16] | [17] |
![]() | Quadro-Negro | José Resende | concrete iron | Quadro-Negro by José Resende | [18] | ||
![]() | Satélite | Francisco Stockinger | granite concrete | Satélite by Francisco Stockinger (sculpture, 1978) | [19] | ||
![]() | Sé Totem | Doménico Calabrone | granite concrete marble | Totem da Sé | [20] | [21] | |
![]() | Sem título | Sérgio Camargo | marble | Sculpture by Sérgio de Camargo (Praça da Sé) | [22] | ||
![]() | The Birds | Felícia Leirner | 1979 | bronze granite | Os Pássaros by Felícia Leirner | [23] | [24] |
![]() | Voo | Caciporé Torres | 1979 | stainless steel concrete steel | Voo by Caciporé Torres | [25] | [26] |
References
- ^ 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 (in Portuguese)
- Historical Assets Administration of the City of São Paulo (in Portuguese)
- SampaCentro (in Portuguese)
- v
- t
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![Flag of São Paulo](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4b/Bandeira_da_cidade_de_S%C3%A3o_Paulo.svg/20px-Bandeira_da_cidade_de_S%C3%A3o_Paulo.svg.png)
landmarks
- Altino Arantes Building
- Brazil Stock Exchange
- Butantã's House
- Centro Comercial Aricanduva
- Centro Empresarial Nações Unidas
- Conjunto Nacional
- Copan Building
- Itália Building
- Iguatemi São Paulo
- Júlio Prestes Station
- Luz Station
- Mappin Building
- Martinelli Building
- Matarazzo Building
- Municipal Market
- Bandeirantes Palace
- São Pedro Theater
- Municipal Theater
- List of tallest buildings
religious sites
- Basilica of the Most Blessed Sacrament
- Imaculado Coração de Maria Church
- Nossa Senhora da Consolação Church
- Nossa Senhora do Brasil Church
- Ordem Terceira do Carmo Church
- Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral
- Pátio do Colégio
- Santo Antônio Church
- São Bento Monastery
- São Cristóvão Church
- São Paulo Brazil Temple
- São Paulo Cathedral
- Temple of Solomon
cultural institutions
- CAIXA Cultural São Paulo
- Carmo Planetarium
- Casa das Rosas
- Bank of Brazil Cultural Center
- Centro Cultural da Penha
- Centro Cultural e de Estudos Superiores Aúthos Pagano
- Ema Gordon Klabin Cultural Foundation
- Football Museum
- Immigration Museum
- Butantan Institute
- Mário de Andrade Library
- Memória do Bixiga Museum
- Museu Afro Brasil
- Museu Lasar Segall
- Museu Paulista (Ipiranga)
- São Paulo Museum of Art
- Museum of Art of the Parliament
- Museum of Contemporary Art
- Museum of Fine Arts
- Museum of Image and Sound
- Museum of Modern Art
- Museum of Sacred Art
- Museum of the Portuguese Language
- Oca Pavilion
- Industries Palace
- Pinacoteca do Estado
- Professor Aristóteles Orsini Planetarium
- Sala São Paulo
- Allianz Parque
- Anhembi Convention Center
- Anhembi Sambadrome
- Arena Corinthians
- Canindé Stadium
- Morumbi Stadium
- Ícaro de Castro Melo Stadium
- Nicolau Alayon Stadium
- Parque São Jorge Stadium
- Rua Javari Stadium
- Estádio Universitário São Paulo
- Ibirapuera Auditorium
- Pacaembu Stadium
- Via Funchal
- Vibra São Paulo
and districts
public squares
- Albert Löfgren State Park
- Beco do Batman
- Botanical Garden
- Cantareira State Park
- Cemitério da Consolação
- Ibirapuera Park
- Independence Park
- Jardim da Luz
- Largo da Batata
- Largo da Memória
- Parque do Carmo
- Parque Trianon
- People's Park
- Pico do Jaraguá
- Praça da República
- Praça da Sé
- Praça Roosevelt
- São Paulo Zoo
- Vale do Anhangabaú
- Viaduto do Chá
- Villa-Lobos State Park