São Paulo Cathedral, Gothic Revival cathedral in Sé District, Brazil
The Catedral Metropolitana de São Paulo is a Gothic Revival church in the Sé district, built from granite and standing 92 meters tall. The building extends 111 meters in length and 46 meters in width, with towers rising above the surrounding area.
The foundation stone was laid in 1913, and architect Maximilian Emil Hehl led the project over several decades. Completion came in 1954, in time for the city's four-hundredth anniversary.
The name recalls the Apparition of Our Lady, and inside visitors stand before the sarcophagi of bishops resting beneath the main nave. The crypt shows sculptures of biblical figures carved in marble, set in a quiet environment.
The church stands in central São Paulo and welcomes visitors most days of the week. Doors stay open longer on weekdays than on Saturdays and Sundays, so a morning visit can be more practical.
The eastern tower holds 61 bells of Dutch origin, forming the largest carillon in Latin America. An instrument with twelve thousand pipes also stands inside and is played on special occasions.
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