Attraction
MASP – Museu de Arte de São Paulo
São Paulo's best-known art museum, raised above Avenida Paulista on Lina Bo Bardi's suspended concrete structure and holding more than 8,000 works from Raphael to Portinari.
Catedral da Sé
São Paulo's neo-Gothic cathedral on Praça da Sé, built between 1913 and 1967, with 92-metre spires, a Florentine-style dome and a crypt of the city's bishops.
At a glance
- Type
- Cathedral
- Area
- Sé, São Paulo, Brazil
Good to know
- Free entry
- Crypt
- Pipe organ
Why we recommend it
The Catedral Metropolitana de São Paulo, always called the Catedral da Sé, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of São Paulo and stands on the square that marks the heart of the old city. The present building was designed by the German architect Maximilian Emil Hehl and took more than half a century to complete. Work began in 1913, the cathedral was inaugurated in 1954, the year of the city's 400th anniversary, while its towers were still unfinished, and the spires were completed in 1967.
The style is neo-Gothic, but with a twist: the dome over the crossing takes its inspiration from the Renaissance dome of Florence Cathedral. The scale is clear from the square outside, where the façade and spires dominate Praça da Sé, and the numbers confirm it. The church is 111 metres long, the nave is 46 metres wide, the dome rises 30 metres over the crossing and the two spires reach 92 metres. It can hold around 8,000 people. Inside, look for the pipe organ built in 1954 by the Italian firm Balbiani Vegezzi-Bossi, with five keyboards and about 12,000 pipes.
The crypt below the main altar is the most interesting part for many visitors. It holds the tombs of the bishops and archbishops of São Paulo, together with bronze tombs of Father Diogo Feijó and the Indigenous chief Tibiriçá. In 2004 the remains of the Jesuit priest Bartolomeu de Gusmão were also moved here.
Visiting is simplest in daytime outside service times, but if you want to hear the organ, attending a Mass is the way to do it. Check on arrival whether the crypt is open during your visit. A visit to the main church takes 30 to 45 minutes. It is an active place of worship, so dress modestly, keep noise down and avoid wandering during services. As in any large city centre, keep valuables out of sight in the busy square outside.
The cathedral fits easily into a walking day around the historic centre, together with the Mosteiro de São Bento, the Pátio do Colégio and the Farol Santander observation deck in the Altino Arantes building, all of which lie within a short distance of Praça da Sé.
Catedral da Sé FAQs
Is it free to visit the cathedral?
Entry to the main church is free, as it is an active place of worship.
Who designed the Catedral da Sé?
The German architect Maximilian Emil Hehl designed it in neo-Gothic style, with a dome inspired by Florence Cathedral.
When was it built?
Construction began in 1913, the cathedral was inaugurated in 1954 and the spires were completed in 1967.
How big is it?
It is 111 metres long with 92-metre spires and can hold around 8,000 people.
What is in the crypt?
The tombs of São Paulo's bishops and archbishops, bronze tombs of Father Diogo Feijó and the Indigenous leader Tibiriçá, and the remains of Bartolomeu de Gusmão.
What is special about the organ?
It was built in 1954 by Balbiani Vegezzi-Bossi and has five keyboards and about 12,000 pipes.
How long should I allow?
About 30 to 45 minutes for the church and crypt.
What is nearby?
The Mosteiro de São Bento, the Farol Santander and the Theatro Municipal are all within walking distance in the historic centre.