History of São Paulo

The history of São Paulo began officially on January 25, 1554, with the peaceful celebration of the first mass, in a simple chapel, held by a group of Jesuit priests (see Origin and foundation of São Paulo).

Quickly, São Paulo became a headquarter for so - called bandeirantes expeditions and one of the sadest chapters of the cities history began. These armed groups (bandeiras) were composed of Paulistas (inhabitants of the State of São Paulo), Mamluks (mixture between Portuguese and Indian) and allied Tupiniquim - Indians. Their mission was to find precious metals and stones in the hinterland and to capture Indian slaves (particularly Carijó from the south).

Almost three centuries and during three economic cycles (brazilwood from 1500 to 1550, sugar cane from 1530 to 1650 and the gold rush from 1693 to 1750), São Paulo remained a village of Mestizo, gold diggers, Bandeirantes and slaves, counting less than 20.000 inhabitants in the early 19th century. With the fourth economic period, the coffee cycle from 1820 to 1920, everything changed. The plantations started in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro, moved along the Paraíba Valley to the west across the state of São Paulo and into Paraná.

With the abolishment of slavery in 1850, the coffee barons were obliged to generate their labor demand from abroad. Between 1870 and 1920 around 5 million European and Asian immigrants came to Brazil, approximately half of it to São Paulo. Most of them arrived at the port in Santos, from where they were transferred by train to a kind of Immigrant's Hostel (Hospedaria dos Imigrantes) and afterwards to the coffee farms, northwest of São Paulo. The coffee cycle ended in 1929 caused by the crash of the New York Stock exchange and the related sharp decline of the coffee prices. Most of the immigrants, who lost their jobs on the coffee farms were forced to return to the the capital and São Paulo's population grew to 500.000 inhabitants in the 20th century.

The fascinating history and cosmopolitan spritit of São Paulo can be experienced through several sights such as museums, churches, theaters and its gastronomy.

See also: city tours