São Paulo
Population 10 990 249 in city and 19 616 060 in metro Area 1 523.00 km² (588.03 mi²) Altitude 760 m (2,493 ft)		Find a building : Districts and Zones See buildings listed by geographic location in São Paulo. Buildings in São Paulo Get information and see photos on structures and buildings in São Paulo. Companies in São Paulo See what companies and persons are located in São Paulo. Images in São Paulo View pictures of this city’s buildings, sights, and the skyline.

About

São Paulo São Paulo, the capital of the state of São Paulo, is the largest city in Brazil with over 18 million people in its metro area.

Founded in 1554 by the Jesuits, the city bloomed to gigantic proportions in the 20th century. Money from coffee exports, once the main activity of the State, boosted industrialization and attracted immigrants from many countries, especially Italy. The immigrants' influence was so strong that even today the Paulistas (São Paulo's natives) speak Portuguese with a peculiar accent. Japanese immigration is also very important, the local colony being the world's largest outside Japan.

Like any big city in a developing country, São Paulo is constantly jammed by its 7.48 million cars; but for the fortunate the helicopter is becoming an alternative, with a fleet of nearly 500 choppers (second only to Tokyo). This leads to a distinctive characteristic
of the city's architecture, for most of the new skyscrapers include helipads.

The history of the Brazilian skyscraper began with São Paulo's Prédio Martinelli in 1929, which initiated a thorough verticalization of the city. By 1959 the old Downtown was crowded with buildings. From the 1960s the center for new skyscrapers moved south to Paulista Avenue. Situated at the highest point in town at 80 meters, buildings on Paulista appear taller from the surrounding areas. In the 1990s with Paulista already saturated, development moved south again to Berrini Avenue and Pinheiros Freeway in the Brooklin region.

With strict land occupation laws São Paulo's skyscrapers are not very tall, with the old Mirante do Vale just topping 170 m. But the number of buildings over 80 meters is so huge that skyscrapers have become the defining feature of the city.

Metro Cities

Arujá, Barueri, Biritiba-Mirim, Caieiras, Cajamar, Carapicuíba, Cotia, Diadema, Embu, Embu-Guaçu, Ferraz de Vasconcelos, Francisco Morato, Franco da Rocha, Guararema, Guarulhos, Itapecerica da Serra, Itapevi, Itaquaquecetuba, Jandira, Juquitiba, Mairiporã, Mauá, Mogi das Cruzes, Osasco, Pirapora do Bom Jesus, Poá, Ribeirão Pires, Rio Grande da Serra, Salesópolis, Santa Isabel, Santana de Parnaíba, Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo, São Caetano do Sul, São Lourenço da Serra, Suzano, Taboão da Serra, Vargem Grande Paulista