Engenho São Jorge dos Erasmos

An archaeological site open to visitors, offers educational programme sand  cultural events, like photography, all free of charge. The place is the oldest preserved site of the Portuguese colonization in Brazil, situated at Rua Alan Ciber Pinto, 96 Vila São Jorge, Zona Noroeste – Santos.  Visits have to be booked by phone (13) 3229-2703 or e-mail resjesantos@gmail.com. Every first Sunday of the month the Line ‘Conheça Santos-Zona Noroeste’, leaves from  Praça das Bandeiras - Centro (Santos) at 10h. Reservations on the same day from 9:00 to  9:45, on phone n° (13) 3284-4375 or directly at the Tourist Information (PIT) in the Gonzaga district-Santos. The bus holds 23 passengers. On rainy days the trip is cancelled.

Vitrais do Mercadão

The São Paulo Downtown Central Market Hall is well-known to all, tourists included. If only for the pastel de bacalhau (codfish pasty) or Mortadela sandwich! Both are delicious with a glass of beer and, best of all, they are huge. But while you enjoy the gastronomy have a look at the glass windows. There are 32 windows divided into 72 panels made by the German artist Conrad Sorgenicht Filho (1904-1994). The theme is varied: Agriculture, cattle breeding , men and women harvesting, small household animals and coffee. The artist travelled with his son of the same name to farms in the interior of São Paulo for his inspiration. His father had an atelier near the Estação da Luz train station since 1922 which continued in use by son and grandson. Sorgenicht took 5 years to produce the panels . Unfortunately, during the São Paulo 1932 Revolution, Revolução Constitucionalista,  soldiers camped and trained inside the hall and used the figures in the panels for target shooting. The windows were restored by the same artist and the hall opened in its full splendour in 1933, on March 25th, the then date of the São Paulo anniversary. Another restoration took place in 1980 also by the Sorgenicht artist’s family and, in 2011, once more, the panels were cleaned and polished and broken windows repaired. The Market Hall on Rua da Cantareira 306, is open 6 to 18h and till 16h on Sundays. Sorgenicht’s son also produced the São Paulo Cathedral windows in addition is a further 300 windows in different churches.

Giro Cultural USP

São Paulo University offers 4 cultural trips free of charge to be booked from Mon. to Fri from 9:00 to 17:00 T. (11) 3091-1190/2648-0468/3721-5720 or e.mail: girocultural@usp.br , girocultural@sinteseeventos.com.br  or www.facebook.com/giroculturalusp

São Paulo Modernista

A four-hour trip, in a multimedia equipped bus plus snack, takes place on Saturdays leaving from Estação Metrô Alto do Ipiranga at 10 o’clock, meeting at the underground check-out (catraca). It offers a detailed look into different buildings of the Modern era and specialised guides talk about socio-cultural, politic and economic features of the late XIX century moving into the XX century as you drive past buildings of that architecture. There are 3 guided visits included: The Museu do Ipiranga (whenever possible), the Theatro Municipal and the MAC Ibirapuera. T he  other trips are all within the University Campus: AcervoCientífico (2h30), Acervo Cultural (2h30), Vista Panorâmica: Um Passeio pelo Campus (1h30) and can be confirmed and booked on the phone numbers above.                                            

Christina Thornton