Law School, University of São Paulo, Public law school at University of São Paulo, Brazil
The Law School of the University of São Paulo, known as Faculdade de Direito do Largo de São Francisco, occupies a light-colored stone building whose central facade reads FACVLDADE DE DIREITO beneath a round clock. Three arches open at ground level below a curved balustraded balcony, and four tall columns support the upper block. The current construction dates from 1934, replacing earlier monastery buildings.
This institution opened in 1827 as one of the first higher education establishments in independent Brazil. It trained many politicians and lawyers who shaped the country during the imperial era and early republic.
The arcades in the inner courtyard serve as an informal meeting point where students discuss legal cases between lectures or prepare for exams. Wall murals and inscriptions recall earlier generations of lawyers who began their academic careers here.
The building faces the Largo de São Francisco, and the statue of Álvares de Azevedo stands in front of it, inscribed "Foi poeta, sonhou e amou na vida". Visitors enter from the square; the courtyard holds the gravestone of Julius Frank, buried there in 1841. The law school admits 460 undergraduates each year from roughly 10,000 to 15,000 applicants, so term-time weekdays are the busiest.
A German professor named Julius Frank has been buried in a courtyard grave since 1841, when Protestant burials were not allowed in Catholic cemeteries. His tomb has remained over the decades and is noticed by students and visitors as part of the institutional history.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,678 contributors worldwide.
