The Monument to the Independence of Brazil ( pt, Monumento à Independência do Brasil) is a granite and bronze sculpture located in the

Independence Park Independence Park may refer to: * Independence Park Botanic Gardens, a botanical garden in Baton Rouge, Louisiana * Independence Park (Charlotte, North Carolina), a park in Charlotte, North Carolina * Independence Park (Chicago), a park in Chicag ...

São Paulo São Paulo (, ; Portuguese for 'Saint Paul') is the most populous city in Brazil, and is the capital of the state of São Paulo, the most populous and wealthiest Brazilian state, located in the country's Southeast Region. Listed by the GaWC a ...

, Brazil. It is also known as the Ipiranga Monument ( pt, Monumento do Ipiranga) or the Altar of the Fatherland ( pt, Altar da Pátria). The monument is located on the banks of the

Ipiranga Brook The Ipiranga Brook (in Portuguese: ''Riacho do Ipiranga'', ), is a river of São Paulo state in southeastern Brazil, historically known as the place where Dom Pedro I declared the independence of Brazil from the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil ...

, on the historic site where the later emperor Pedro I proclaimed the independence of the country on 7 September 1822. The monument was designed and built by Italian sculptor

Ettore Ximenes Ettore Ximenes (11 April 1855, Palermo 20 December 1926, Rome) was an Italian sculptor. Biography Son of Antonio Ximenes and Giulia Tolentino, a Sicilian noble woman, Ettore Ximenes initially embarked on literary studies but then took up scu ...

(1855–1926) and Italian architect

Manfredo Manfredi Manfredo Manfredi (; 16 April 1859, Piacenza – 13 October 1927, Piacenza) was an Italian architect. In 1880, Manfredi began his studies at the Accademia di belle arti di Roma (Academy of Fine Arts in Rome). In 1884 he came in second in the arch ...

(1859–1927) to celebrate the first centenary of the Brazilian Independence.

The crypt

An Imperial Crypt and Chapel is located inside the monument. The crypt was built in 1972 to house the remains of emperor Pedro I and his wives,

Maria Leopoldina of Austria Dona Maria Leopoldina of Austria (22 January 1797 – 11 December 1826) was the first Empress of Brazil as the wife of Emperor Dom Pedro I from 12 October 1822 until her death. She was also Queen of Portugal during her husband's brief r ...

and

Amélie of Leuchtenberg Amélie of Leuchtenberg ( pt, Amélia Augusta Eugénia Napoleona de Leuchtenberg; french: Amélie Auguste Eugénie Napoléonne de Leuchtenberg; 31 July 1812 – 26 January 1873) was Empress of Brazil as the wife of Pedro I of Brazil. She was the g ...

. The crypt is consecrated as a Catholic chapel, as demanded by the then head of the

Brazilian Imperial Family The Brazilian Imperial Family (Brazilian Portuguese: ''Família Imperial Brasileira'') is a Brazilian Dynasty of Portuguese origin that ruled the Empire of Brazil from 1822 in Brazil, 1822 to 1889 in Brazil, 1889, after the proclamation of indepe ...

Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza Pedro Henrique of Orléans-Braganza ( pt, Pedro Henrique Afonso Felipe Maria Miguel Gabriel Rafael Gonzaga de Orléans e Bragança; 13 September 1909 – 5 July 1981), nicknamed The Expected Prince ( pt, O Príncipe Esperando) was a son of Princ ...

. He agreed to allow the transfer of the bodies of his ancestors to the monument on the condition that the place be consecrated as a Catholic place of burial, with a Catholic altar, where masses could be held. Pedro I and Amélie of Leuchtenberg's bodies were transferred from the

Royal Pantheon of the House of Braganza Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...

; while Maria Leopoldina was moved from the Imperial Mausoleum of St Anthony's Convent in

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

Gallery

File:Monumento à Independência do Brasil — Os Revolucionários Pernambucanos de 1817 - São Paulo, Brasil.jpg, Sculpture representing the revolutionaries of the Pernambucan revolt of 1817 File:Monumento à Independência do Brasil 02.jpg, The

eternal flame An eternal flame is a flame, lamp or torch that burns for an indefinite time. Most eternal flames are ignited and tended intentionally, but some are natural phenomena caused by natural gas leaks, peat fires and coal seam fires, all of which can ...

File:Olhares sobre o Museu do Ipiranga 2017 041.jpg, Sarcophagus of Pedro I File:Olhares sobre o Museu do Ipiranga 2017 021.jpg, Front panel, with a derivative representation of

Pedro Américo Pedro Américo de Figueiredo e Melo (29 April 1843 – 7 October 1905) was a Brazilian novelist, poet, scientist, art theorist, essayist, philosopher, politician and professor, but is best remembered as one of the most important academic painters ...

's 1888 painting '' Independence or Death''. File:Museu Paulista 2017 022.jpg, Sculpture representing the participants of the Minas Gerais Conspiracy of 1789

References

External links

Monument to the Independence of Brazil at the São Paulo City Museum Website
* {{Visitor attractions in São Paulo (city)

Mausoleums in Brazil Public art in Brazil Buildings and structures completed in 1922 1922 establishments in Brazil