Paulista Avenue

Paulista Avenue (in Portuguese, Avenida Paulista) is one of the most important avenues in São Paulo, Brazil. It is notable for the large number of financial institutions and corporations with buildings, and the area is sometimes identified as the "business center" of the city. Being one of the highest points in the city, it is also clustered with radio and TV station antennas such as the Bandeirantes Tower. Avenida Paulista is generally regarded as the second most expensive real estate anywhere in Latin America (after México City´s Avenida Presidente Masaryk).

Once a residential neighbourhood thoroughfare flanked by many mansions of the city's gentry (of which few survive, a notable example being the restored "Casa das Rosas"), the avenue has undergone a massive verticalization over the second half of the 20th century.

It is home to a small native forest park, the Parque Siqueira Campos, commonly called "Trianon", and to the São Paulo Museum of Art (Masp - Museu de Arte de São Paulo). Masp is known not only for its excellent collection, but also for the remarkable architecture of its building, which is one of São Paulo's landmarks.

The avenue today is home of world's biggest financial intitutions and a symbol of the economic power of State of São Paulo, along with Avenida Berrini located in the south of the city, and Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima.

It's estimated that more than 800 thousand Brazilian citizens work around Avenida Paulista everyday.

Every year the São Paulo Gay Pride Parade and the Saint Silvester Road Race takes place in the Avenue. Political demonstrations are also common.

The avenue has an efficient subway system, with the Green Line of the "Metrô" (São Paulo's Metro system) running underneath the avenue from one end to the other.

External links

* [http://brazilpostcard.com/paulista.html Avenida Paulista - Vintage postcards]