A symbol of progress and development time that brought thousand of people to São Paulo, Altino Arantes Building - name received in the 1980s and kept until today-, aka Banespa building, is a must-seeing attraction.

Built since 1939, it is located in the heart of the city, close to streets that used to form the old bank center in São Paulo: São Bento, XV de Novembro and Direita. Chosen to host the Bank of the State of São Paulo, this building last eight years to be finished. Governor elect Ademar de Barros opened it on June 27, 1947.

On the highest point of old town, design was based on famous Empire State Building, in New York. During the 1940s, it was the highest reinforced concrete building in the world, with its 161.22 meter high, 35 floors, 14 elevators, 900 steps and 1119 windows. For almost 20 years, it was the tallest building in São Paulo, easily seen by its lightly logo. Breathtaking 360º views from top tower reach 40 km, making possible to see Serra do Mar mountains, Jaraguá peak, skyscrapers on Paulista Avenue and the main buildings in downtown. Almost 5,000 people visit it every month. Another attraction is the lobby, holding a Brazilian crystal decó eccletic lamp, with 13 meter high, 10,000 crystal pieces and 1.5 ton, made in the shape of the building.

In 2000, this building was privatized by group Santander Banespa. Since them, the building houses a museum with more than 2,000 objects that made part of almost 100 hundred years of the bank that opened during the Coffee Time in Brazil, under the name of Hypothecary and Agricultural Bank of the State of São Paulo.

Service:
Banespão (Altino Arantes Building)
Rua João Brícola, 24 - Downtown - São Paulo (subway São Bento)
Phone: (5511) 3249-7180
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Time: Monday to Friday, 10:00 am to 05:00 pm
Free