There is definitely a reason that Central Park is one of my most favorite places in all of the United States. It is an oasis and reprieve from busy city life, entertainment center, and relaxing respite all in one. If you, like me, are a Central Park lover, then you will adore Ibirapuera Park in São Paulo, Brazil.
This is São Paulo’s version of Central Park, and it was inaugurated on August 21, 1954, to celebrate the city’s 400th birthday. You will find a great number of things to do and explore here.
Ibirapuera Park, known locally as Parque do Ibirapuera, sits on over 2 million square meters (or 390 acres) of beautiful green space. If you prefer to participate in relaxing activities, you can wander through the park’s many paths, alongside lakes and lagoons. Or, for the cost of just $3 (U.S.) per hour, you can rent a bicycle and enjoy smoothly gliding along.
The park’s many permanent attractions include the Planetarium, the Japanese Pavilion, the Biennial Pavilion, the Sports Coliseum, Cribs Museum, Modern Art Museum, Aeronautics and Folklore Museums, the Obelisco (the Obelisk of São Paulo), the Flags Monument, and Cooper hints.
One of the park’s most popular indoor attractions, the Modern Art Museum, houses a collection of nearly 3,000 paintings, drawings, and sculptures. It also contains an excellent library. The museum, commonly known as MAM, first opened in 1948, and is now known as one of the most important museums of modern art in Brazil. Among its most popular collections are those of Anita Malfatti, Aldo Bonadei, Alfredo Volpi, Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, José António da Silva, Joan Miró, Marc Chagall, Mario Zanini, and Pablo Picasso.
The Contemporary Art Museum (MAC), the Aeronautic Museum, Planetario (Planetarium), and the Folklore Museum are all located nearby within the park as well, so you really have an ample number of museums from which to choose.
One of the park’s most popular attractions is the Obelisk. This is often pictured in images of São Paulo because it is the tallest monument in the city, standing at 72 meters (236 feet) high. This monument is a memorial for all the people who died in the Revolution of Constitution in 1932. In order to remember and pay tribute to all the brave soldiers, the monument is inscribed with passages from the Bible and stained glass scenes with pictures of the history of the city.
Another lovely attraction that you’ll find on the west side of Ibirapuera Park is the Japanese Pavilion. As the name implies, the buildings of the pavilion were constructed using Japanese-style architecture. The pavilion has several rooms, each displaying Japanese art expositions, samurai clothes, vases, and statues from several dynasties of Japan. The upper levels of the pavilion have an amazing view of the gardens within the park.
For something special, you can check out some of the park’s entertainment events, too. Every Sunday morning you can catch a free outdoor music concert in the park’s Praça da Paz. On Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm you can also take advantage of the Bosque de Leitura, a sort of outdoor library that will lend you books or magazines (many in English) to read outside at the park for the day.
Whether you choose to visit the park’s varied museums or just take a leisurely stroll, there is something for you to enjoy at São Paulo’s treasured Parque do Ibirapuera.
