Anhembi Sambadrome, Samba parade venue in Santana District, São Paulo, Brazil
The Anhembi Sambadrome, officially Polo Cultural e Esportivo Grande Otelo, is a 530-metre-long, 14-metre-wide concrete parade runway designed by Oscar Niemeyer and opened in 1991. Nine grandstands line the track, including the Arquibancada Monumental (stand B) with 7,749 seats, plus 103 individual rooms holding 10 to 50 people each. The structural concrete floor is built to resist flooding.
This venue opened in 1991 based on a design by architect Oscar Niemeyer. It was created to provide São Paulo with a permanent space dedicated to samba school competitions.
The venue is named after Grande Otelo, the comedian and samba figure who died in November 1993, when the samba runway received the name Polo Cultural e Esportivo Grande Otelo. Since 1998 it has also hosted the city's official 7 September Independence Day parades. The samba school parades are organized by LigaSP, the Independent League of Samba Schools of São Paulo.
The venue is accessible through multiple entrance gates and connected to public transit via the nearby Portuguesa-Tietê metro station. Multiple seating sections allow visitors to find spots suited to their preferences and budget.
The venue was named Polo Cultural e Esportivo Grande Otelo in late 1993, honouring the samba singer and comedian Grande Otelo, who had died that November. The name sits alongside the popular Sambódromo do Anhembi.
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