Post Office Palace (São Paulo)

Project and inauguration After the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889, the postal service underwent an expansion of its activities. After a visit to São Paulo in 1918, President Venceslau Brás found it necessary to build a new Post Office and Telegraphs building, which had been operating in a rented space in Largo do Colégio with precarious hygiene and safety conditions. The construction was then approved by the 1921 Budget Law. The site chosen for the construction was the former Military Hospital and São João Market. Architects Domiziano Rossi and Felisberto Ranzini, from Ramos de Azevedo Technical Office, were responsible for the project. On October 7, 1920, the cornerstone of the new building was laid with the presence of King Albert I of Belgium and many other prominent political and social figures. The eclectic-style structure was inaugurated on October 20, 1922, as part of the celebrations for the centenary of Brazil's independence. The Post Office Palace underwent an internal remodeling in the mid-1950s and between October 1978 and March 1979; in the latter, the renovation was also external, and aimed at cleaning the building, which was restored to its original condition. Three plaques marking the inauguration and the other two renovations of the premises can be found in the lobby. Captain Major General, Governor Antonio Manoel de Mello Castro e Mendonça, builder of the Old Royal Military Hospital of São Paulo, was the one who established the first official public mail lines in São Paulo on July 23, 1798. Architectural competition In 1997, the Correios held a national architectural competition, in which the competing firms had to draw up proposals for adapting the building's facilities into a cultural center. Some renovations were made to the palace, but the project was never fully implemented. The venue presents exhibitions on subjects such as humanities, music and visual arts, all in an accessible way, gathering in the same space both renowned and emerging artists, giving them the possibility of recognition and credibility. == Architecture ==

The Post Office Palace, with its 15,000 m² of built area, has predominantly eclectic features. The building also has neoclassical lines and Renaissance influences, which characterized the public building projects of the Ramos de Azevedo Technical Office. Together with the former Central and Britânia hotels, it is part of a group of eclectic buildings in the area between the Anhangabaú Valley and Largo do Paiçandu. Facade The complex consists of a large main building with four floors and a basement, and a secondary block with three floors. The facade is divided into three parts, which gives continuity to the structure visual. The central one, which faces Pedro Lessa Square, has windows on the second and third floors framed by columns. The side, facing Avenida São João, has narrow windows with a different treatment on the lintels. On the third floor, the windows are all full-arched. The complex is completed by a cornice and some decorated pediments and balusters. The main facade is crowned by a clock, which is surrounded by two merely ornamental human figures. 2005-2013 Renovation Focused on a cultural shelter and expanding its audience, the restoration that began in 2005 would not affect its primary structure, but would preserve the original structure and adapt its upper floors for the cultural center, scheduled to open in 2013. The new facilities included the São Paulo Central Agency, the D. Pedro II Philatelic Agency and the Post Office Cultural Center of São Paulo. == Historical and cultural significance ==

Soon after its inauguration, the palace became a landmark in the capital's landscape, which led to Pedro Lessa Square becoming known as "Post Office Square". The construction of the building was part of a process of urbanization of the Anhangabaú Valley in the 1920s. At that time, the initial stretch of Avenida São João was widened and other eclectic buildings were constructed. Together with the Municipal Theater, the Martinelli Building and the Viaduto do Chá, it is part of an important architectural ensemble in the center of São Paulo. In 2012, the Department of Historical Heritage (DPH) carried out an inventory of the central area of São Paulo. On that occasion, resolution 37/92 of the Municipal Council for the Preservation of the Historical, Cultural and Environmental Heritage (Conpresp) listed the region of the Anhangabaú Valley, of which the Post Office Palace is a part, as a historical site. == Current status ==

The latest restoration of the Post Office Palace, which began in 2005, was the largest ever carried out. During the process, most of the building's original features were maintained. The complex now houses the São Paulo Central Agency, the D. Pedro II Philatelic Agency, which provides specialized services for stamp collectors, and the Post Office Cultural Center of São Paulo. The latter was inaugurated in 2013 in a 1,280m² space with two exhibition halls and a central lobby. The cultural center's agenda is diverse, promoting activities in the fields of visual arts, humanities and music, for all social groups and all ages, generally with free attractions. == See also ==