Paulista Avenue, Main financial avenue in São Paulo, Brazil.
Paulista Avenue is a main thoroughfare running about three kilometers through central São Paulo, connecting modern office towers, cultural centers, and shopping areas. Green spaces and wide sidewalks line the roadway on both sides.
Urban planner Joaquim Eugênio de Lima opened the route in December 1891 and paved it with imported asphalt, making it the first such road in the city. Its role shifted during the 20th century from a residential boulevard into a business center.
The city's main art museum displays works in a building supported by red concrete beams that have become one of the most recognizable shapes along the route. Residents gather here on weekends when traffic stops to walk, meet friends, and watch street performers.
Several subway stations along the route give direct access to all sections, and many bus lines connect it to other neighborhoods. On Sundays, the roadway closes to cars so pedestrians and cyclists can use the entire space.
The red concrete pillars of the art museum rise freely above the sidewalk, creating an open hall below that often hosts events. Cyclists and skaters share the roadway with thousands of pedestrians on Sundays during car-free hours.
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