Sao Paulo, the largest and economically most important city in Brazil. Sao Paulo is located in the Southeast Region of Brazil on a plateau beyond the Serra do Mar, about 70 km (43 mi) from Brazil's coast at the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the captaincy (state) of Sao Paulo, the most populous state in the country.
The city was founded as Sao Paulo de Piratininga (Saint Paul of the Fields of Piratininga) in 1554. Today Sao Paulo is among the world's most populous cities, a major cultural and financial center with an ethnically diverse metropolitan area, with huge Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, and Japanese influences.
Pico do Jaraguá Mountain, highest point in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Pico do Jaraguá Mountain is the highest point in the city, with 1,135 m (3,724 ft).
Greater Sao Paulo has a population of just under 12 million inhabitants (mid. 2013), 20 million people live in the metropolitan area of this megacity. Spoken language of the majority is Brazilian Portuguese with some influence by the Italian language.
Sao Paulo points of interest:
Places: Praça da Sé (public space and the central square of SP in front of Sao Paulo Cathedral), Monument to the Independence of Brazil (Altar of the Fatherland), Latin America Memorial (political, cultural complex houses the Latin American Parliament with a 'hall of acts', a 'creativity pavilion', and an Oscar Niemeyer sculpture), Altino Arantes Building, (kind of Empire State Building in Sao Paulo), Edifício Copan (condo designed by Oscar Niemeyer), Edifício Itália (46 floor skyscraper from the 60s), Luz Station (19th century train station)
Arts: Sao Paulo Museum of Art - MASP (art museum located on Paulista Avenue, internationally recognized for its collection of European art), Pinacoteca do Estado de Sao Paulo (important art museum in in Jardim da Luz), Sao Paulo Museum of Modern Art - MAM (important cultural institution, organizer of the Sao Paulo Art Biennial), Sao Paulo Museum of Image and Sound - MIS (museum of audio-visual works, films, videos, records, photographs and documentation of oral tradition), Ema Gordon Klabin Cultural Foundation (art museum created by the Brazilian collector and philanthropist Ema Gordon Klabin), Beco do Batman (graffiti in Batman’s Alley), Centro Cultural Sao Paulo (cultural center with a library, a theater, a cinema, space for exhibitions of music, workshops and exhibition spaces)
Museums: Museum of the Portuguese Language (interactive Portuguese language), Museu Paulista (Brazilian history museum known as Museu do Ipiranga), Cata-vento (science museum), Museu de Zoologia (natural history museum of the University of Sao Paulo)
Theatre, Concert: Theatro Municipal (early 20th century building in Neo Renaissance, Neo Baroque and Art Nouveau and one of the most celebrated cultural venues in South America), Sala Sao Paulo (concert hall in a train station), Citibank Hall (indoor entertainment venue)
Markets: Municipal Market of Sao Paulo (Eclectic style public market, meeting point for Sao Paulo residents and one of the most visited tourist spots in the city)
Churches: Sao Paulo Cathedral (Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption and St. Paul, early 20th century cathedral of the Archdiocese of Sao Paulo)
Parks: Ibirapuera Park (major urban park with a vivid cultural scene, an Auditorium (Ibirapuera Auditorium) and an art museum (Sao Paulo Museum of Modern Art)), Jardim da Luz (public park with a history), Villa-Lobos Park (leisure park, culture and sport), Botanical Garden of Sao Paulo (botanical garden close to Sao Paulo Zoo).
Theme Parks: Aquário de Sao Paulo (aquarium with a polar bear), Hopi Hari ('The Funniest Country in the World', second largest amusement park in Brazil)
Sports: (FIFA World Cup) The city was one of the twelve host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Six matches including the opening match were held at the Arena Corinthians stadium located in Itaquera district. Take Line 3 (Red) of the Sao Paulo Metro system to get to the stadium.