Metropolitan Cathedral of São Paulo

In the huge city of São Paulo, a young but imposing church gives its name to an entire district. The Metropolitan Cathedral is an impressive work of neo-Gothic architecture that presides over the surrounding neighbourhoods. Known locally as "Catedral da Sé", it is the seat of the Archdiocese of São Paulo.

Dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the first version of the church was completed in the early 17th century, in the midst of a dispute with the neighbouring Jesuit college. But in the 20th century, a new mega-project began in 1913 and lasted for decades until its inauguration in 1954 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of the city's foundation, which gave it its current appearance. In the 1960s, the cathedral was a gathering place for demonstrations against the South American country's long military dictatorship (1964-1985).

Its latest design is inspired by the great European Gothic cathedrals, with an impressive front façade and two tall towers. The cathedral is built of brick and reinforced concrete, and its interior offers a feeling of spaciousness: it is one of the five largest Gothic churches in the world.

One of the greatest treasures of the Catedral da Sé is its Italian organ, the largest in Latin America, which has more than 10,000 pipes that fill the space with sacred music during religious ceremonies and concerts. Its bell tower also houses an impressive set of bells, each with a name and a particular sound that resounds throughout the Brazilian megalopolis.

Below, the huge crypt beneath the main altar is almost as large as the cathedral itself. In addition to the bishops and archbishops of the see, it is the resting place of important personalities in Brazilian history, such as Father Diogo Feijó, Bartolomeu Lourenço de Gusmão and the indigenous chief Tibiriçá.

Take a few minutes to walk around this great church in São Paulo! Its entrance palm grove and surrounding green areas add to the sense of size and expansiveness of the imposing cathedral.