Memorial do Imigrante

São Paulo


For a deeper understanding of São Paulo's immigration history, head to the Memorial do Imigrante in the eastern suburb of Moóca. Built in 1887, it was called the Hospedaria dos Imigrantes, and functioned as a holding place – not always friendly – for immigrant labor before they shipped out for their first jobs in Brazil, mostly on large plantations.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby São Paulo attractions

1. Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo

1.16 MILES

On Praça da Sé stands the modest Igreja do Carmo, which dates to the 1630s and still preserves its original high altar.

2. Mercado Municipal

1.16 MILES

This covered market is a belle epoque confection of stained glass and a series of vast domes. Inside, a fabulous urban market specializes in all things…

3. Solar da Marquesa

1.22 MILES

Down a set of narrow downtown side streets stands one of the city’s last surviving 18th-century residences. This simple but delightful villa was once home…

4. Casa da Imagem

1.23 MILES

Beautifully curated from some 84,000 historical photographs, this museum inside a restored colonial downtown mansion is a must for those interested in the…

5. Páteo do Collégio

1.27 MILES

Occupying the exact spot where São Paulo was founded in 1554 by Jesuit brothers José de Anchieta and Manoel da Nóbregra, this mission is actually a 1950s…

6. Caixa Cultural

1.28 MILES

This cultural center occupies a grand neoclassical-style building with an imperious facade of black marble that served as Caixa Econômica Federal's…

7. Praça da Sé

1.31 MILES

The old heart of the city, palm-fringed Praça da Sé has seen better days but still draws animated crowds; from street hawkers and nose-down business types…

8. Catedral da Sé

1.37 MILES

Crowning the Praça da Sé is the domed Catedral da Sé, a huge neo-Byzantine concoction that, for better or worse, replaced the original 18th-century…