São Francisco Square is a popular local haunt with several noteworthy historical landmarks that showcase some of São Paulo’s finest baroque architecture.
The square dates back to the first half of the 17th century when Franciscan monks established the Convent of San Francisco. The convent has since gone, but you can marvel at two striking churches and an impressive university building.
Visit the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, inaugurated by the Franciscans in 1647. Behind the simple façade is a beautiful interior with a lavishly decorated altar and paintings of the Virgin Mary and St. Benedict.
To one side of the church is another religious landmark built by the Franciscans, the Church Seraphico of the Chagas Father Francis. Its gilded altars exhibit examples of the classical, early and late periods of baroque art. Stop by side chapels and view altarpieces decorated with carvings of religious figures. Study the paintings by José Patrício da Silva Manso, an 18th-century painter. They include depictions of the life story of St. Francisco, such as a representation of his ascension into heaven in a chariot of fire. Look over the religious statues and the collection of 17th-century terracotta busts.
On the other side of the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is the Faculdade de Direito, the law faculty of the University of São Paulo. This lays claim to being the oldest law school in Brazil and was once part of the convent complex. It was rebuilt in the 1930s in a neo-colonial style. Stand back and appreciate the entrance’s arcade and stately columns. Inside is a public library filled with approximately 300,000 tomes.
Located in São Paulo’s Centro district, São Francisco Square is close to several public transport links. Buses stop at the square and the Sé metro station is a short walk away. Popular nearby attractions include São Paulo Metropolitan Cathedral and the Municipal Theatre. The square is also the starting point of the Brigadeiro Luis Antonio avenue, one of the city’s main thoroughfares.
