Palácio São Francisco, Heritage palace in Curitiba, Brazil
Palácio São Francisco is a replica of a Wiesbaden mansion, built in 1928–1929 for Júlio Garmatter. The two-storey building has over thirty rooms across two floors, a basement and an attic, in Neoclassical Eclectic and Modernist styles with German influence. It was one of Curitiba's first houses with a garage opening directly into the entrance, and its reinforced concrete structure was unusual in Brazil at the time.
The building was constructed between 1928 and 1929 as a private family residence before being repurposed as a government administrative center. Additional spaces were added over time to accommodate the needs of the various institutions that operated there.
The building is named after Alto São Francisco, the valued neighbourhood where Júlio Garmatter built his residence in 1928–1929. Since 19 December 2002 it has housed the Museu Paranaense, the state museum whose collection moved into the restored rooms and a new administrative annex.
The palace stands in the Alto São Francisco area of the São Francisco district, south of Curitiba's centre, at the coordinates -25.42762, -49.27623. It has been the Museu Paranaense since 19 December 2002, so visiting means entering a working museum; the 2002 restoration added a separate annex for the museum administration. Look for the garage with direct access to the house entrance, one of the first in the city.
The building was originally designed as a private residence but underwent a complete transformation when repurposed for government administration. This shift demonstrates how Curitiba adapted its infrastructure during the middle of the 20th century.
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