Sao Paulo Cathedral, Sao Paulo (must see)

This impressive cathedral is also known as the See Cathedral. Construction began in 1913 and was completed in 1954. Various iterations of churches and cathedrals have stood on this site since 1589.

The Sao Paulo Cathedral features a Renaissance-style dome and a Neo-Gothic facade. The 92-meter tall towers were completed in 1967. The cathedral can seat 8,000 people. The inner capitals are embellished with sculpted Brazilian crops such as coffee branches and pineapples.

In addition to the tombs of archbishops and bishops of Sao Paulo, the remains of Tibiricá are entombed in the crypt. Tibiricá was a cheiftian of the Guaianás tribe. He welcomed the first Jesuits in the 1500s and made the founding of Sao Paulo possible. The enormous crypt is decorated with marble sculptures representing the story of Job and Saint Jerome.

The 1954 organ is one of the largest in Latin America. It has 12,000 pipes and displays Gothic-style hand-carved reliefs. The carillon is the heaviest and largest in Central and South America and has 61 bells.

Tip:
Tourists beware: the plaza where the Cathedral is located is home to drug addicts, grifters and beggars, so it is advised to visit only during the day and use a low-key approach. The contrast between the sacred and the profane is an eye opener and an interesting portrait of this city of huge contrasts.