São Bento Street (
Portuguese: ''Rua'' ''São Bento'') is a historic road located in the
Sé district, in the center of the Brazilian
city of São Paulo
A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
. It starts at
Largo São Francisco
Largo may refer to:
Music
* ''Largo'' (Italian for 'wide', 'broad'), a very slow tempo, or a musical piece or movement in such a tempo
* "Largo" from ''Xerxes'' arranged from "Ombra mai fu", the opening aria from Handel's opera ''Serse''
* Hugo ...
, next to José Bonifácio Street, and passes through
Patriarca Square,
Direita Street,
Quitanda Street, Largo do Café, Miguel Couto Street and
Antonio Prado Square. It ends at Boa Vista Street, in Largo São Bento. Currently, it is predominantly commercial. It includes the
Martinelli Building, whose main entrance is accessed from São Bento Street.
History
Opened in the 16th century, São Bento Street is one of the oldest thoroughfares in São Paulo. Initially, it consisted of a simple dirt track linking the old village of the ''
cacique
A cacique, sometimes spelled as cazique (; ; feminine form: ), was a tribal chieftain of the Taíno people, who were the Indigenous inhabitants of the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles at the time of European cont ...
'' Tibiriçá (now Largo São Bento) to the vicinity of Direita Street. The name refers to the
Monastery of Saint Benedict, located in Largo São Bento. The site was donated by the São Paulo City Council in 1600 to the monks for the construction of the church.
It was first called Martim Afonso Tibiriçá Street. After the construction of the
Convent of Saint Francis, inaugurated on September 17, 1647, it became known as ''Rua que Vai para São Francisco'' (English: Street leading to Saint Francis). Later, it was renamed ''Rua de São Bento para São Francisco'' (Street from Saint Benedict to Saint Francis) and ''Rua que Vai para São Bento'' (Street leading to Saint Benedict).
On March 12, 1897, the São Paulo City Council changed the name to Coronel Moreira César Street, after the military commander who had been killed in the
War of Canudos
The War of Canudos (, , 1896–1897) was a conflict between the First Brazilian Republic and the residents of Canudos in the Northeast Region, Brazil, northeastern state of Bahia. It was waged in the aftermath of the Lei Áurea, abolition of sl ...
. The measure did not please the population; on August 28, 1899, Law No. 416 ordered that it be renamed São Bento Street. Historical studies suggest that the street was the site of the São Paulo City Hall in 1619.
See also
*
Tourism in the city of São Paulo
Tourism in the city of São Paulo stands out more for its business tourism than recreational tourism. However, cultural tourism is also important for the city, especially due to the several international events that take place in the region, such ...
References
Streets in São Paulo
São Paulo
Geography of São Paulo
Tourist attractions in São Paulo (state)
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