This document discusses urban geotourism and a proposed geotourism trail in the old center of São Paulo, Brazil. It describes how the city's development was influenced by local geology and the types of stones used in historic buildings, including Itaquera Granite and other imported stones. The proposed trail would highlight these dimension stones and their role in the city's architecture, providing geological context and promoting public understanding of geosciences.

1. Geoheritage
DOI 10.1007/s12371-014-0119-7
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Urban Geotourism and the Old Centre of São Paulo City, Brazil
Eliane Aparecida Del Lama & Denise de La Corte Bacci &
Lucelene Martins & Maria da Glória Motta Garcia &
Lauro Kazumi Dehira
Received: 23 December 2013 /Accepted: 15 May 2014
# The European Association for Conservation of the Geological Heritage 2014
Abstract The use of geotouristic trails will be an efficient
means of publicising geosciences. The proposal here is a trail
in the old centre of São Paulo City, Brazil, describing the main
types of stones that have ornamented buildings since the
nineteenth century when São Paulo ceased to be a city of
taipa (rammed earth) buildings and became the masonry city
of the republic. Itaquera Granite is one of the most important
stones in the ornamentation of the floors and facades in this
new phase of construction in the city of São Paulo. Later, other
types of stones were used, such as the Mauá, Ubatuba, Itupeva
and Piracaia granites, as well as imported stones, such as
travertine and lioz limestone. There is also a discussion of
the influence of geomorphology in the establishment of the
former urban core, with the location of the so-called Historic
Triangle at higher topographic levels. This paper discusses the
history and evolution of São Paulo City and its relation to the
local geology.
Keywords Urban geotourism .Geotouristic trail . Dimension
stone . São Paulo
Introduction
Geology seems to be an unknown science to a large part of the
population (Durant et al. 1989; Eerola 1994; Hartz and
Chappell 1997; Augustine 1998; Brilha 2004; King 2008;
Walsby 2008; Stewart and Nield 2013). Despite its history
of secular development and contribution of knowledge to the
scientific and technological development of modern society, it
still attracts little attention from people who fail to perceive the
space–time dimension of slow geological processes and the
transformations they cause on the planet (Clarke 1991;
Boulton 2001; Mansur and Nascimento 2007; Mondéjar
2008). Even in the case of catastrophic events of shorter
durations, such as volcanic eruptions, landslides, earthquakes
and tsunamis, the direct relationship of these events to geology
is little explored (Stewart and Nield 2013). There is still a
predominant view that it is a science that seeks mineral wealth
to meet the growth needs of countries, mainly related to the
search for oil and minerals. Most people’s attitude towards
science is formed at school, but unfortunately, not all countries
have a geological curriculum in formal schooling.
With little or no formal education background in geosci-ence
beyond school geography lessons, most laypersons are
unprepared for the interconnected world of the “Earth
System” and for hi-tech wizardry used to investigate it
(Stewart and Nield 2013).
In Brazil, the popularisation of geosciences is still very
limited and hindered by many factors. One of the most im-portant
factors is the limited spending power of a large pro-portion
of the population and relatively small investments in
education, culture and technology. Other factors that contrib-ute
to the limited diffusion of geological concepts in Brazil are
the lack of collaboration between the media and geoscientists,
generally poor awareness of journalists regarding this area
and, principally, the little interest shown by the geological
community in popularising information (Eerola 1994). A
E. A. Del Lama (*) : D. de La Corte Bacci : L. Martins :
M. da Glória Motta Garcia
GeoHereditas, IGc-USP, Rua do Lago n.562, 05508-080 São Paulo,
SP, Brazil
e-mail: edellama@usp.br
D. de La Corte Bacci
e-mail: bacci@igc.usp.br
L. Martins
e-mail: lucemart@usp.br
M. da Glória Motta Garcia
e-mail: mgmgarcia@usp.br
L. K. Dehira
Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas (IPT), São Paulo, Brazil
e-mail: lkdehira@ipt.br

2. few examples of works done in this direction started from a
concern with geoconservation (Mansur 2009). Therefore, as
geology does not exist as a discipline in formal education, the
population knows little about this subject (Compiani 1996;
Carneiro et al. 2004; Toledo et al. 2005; Piranha and Carneiro
2009).
But it only requires a slightly closer look to realise how
geological matters are present in people’s lives, whether in the
planning and occupation of cities, in construction or in leisure.
According toMenegat (2009), geology is a science that can
read a place and its dynamics and then should produce an
understanding of that place.
In Europe, the dissemination and institutionalisation of
geology, mainly mineralogy, was aided by the proliferation
of museums of natural history in the eighteenth century. In
Victorian era Britain, geology was considered the most excit-ing
and popular science (Bennett and Doyle 1996), as in many
other European countries. In 1854, “geological illustrations”
were constructed in the Crystal Palace Park in London, the
first geological theme park exhibiting reconstructions of ex-tinct
vertebrates and geological relationships (Doyle and
Robinson 1993; Doyle 2008). At that time, Brazil received
many expeditions of naturalists to collect minerals, rocks and
ores among other materials.
In current times, urban geotourism can be considered one
of the ways to acquaint people with geology, promoting an
understanding, for example, of how to read the landscape, the
occupation of urban space and the constraints imposed by the
physical environment, including the settlement of the city in
the geological terrain and the use of geological materials in its
construction (Robinson 1984, 1985). In fact, Eric Robinson
was the first British urban geology enthusiast, and he pub-lished
many geological walks in London (Robinson and
Bishop 1980; Robinson 1987, 1988, 1993, 1997).
The use of geotouristic trails in built heritage is a well-established
practice in Europe and North America (Pickett
2006; Gall 2009; Herrero and Salamanca 2011; Ambrose
et al. 2011) and is a growing segment in Brazil. The first
Brazilian geotouristic trail was proposed by Stern et al.
(2006). Later, other Brazilian examples can be found in
Reys et al. (2007), Liccardo et al. (2008), Del Lama et al.
(2009), Philipp et al. (2009), Carvalho (2010) and Augusto
and Del Lama (2011).
Touristic trails in the traditional sense are currently com-mon
place in the old centre of São Paulo, being promoted by
various specialist agencies. It is possible to follow these trails
unaccompanied by using audio guides, such as the thematic
tours of Sao Paulo tourism, e.g. the trail of the architecture of
the historic centre, available on the official tourism website of
the city of São Paulo (http://www.cidadedesaopaulo.com/sp/
br/o-que-visitar/roteiros/roteiros-tematicos).
The proposal of the present paper is not to reinvent trails,
but to take a fresh look at them and to add geological
Geoheritage
information on the rich built heritage of the old centre of
São Paulo in order to arouse people’s interest in this matter
and at the same time promote the dissemination of
geosciences. After all, as Charsley (1996) pointed out, every
city has a story to tell that is probably related to geology.
Geotourism
In general terms, this is a sector of tourism aimed at the
identification, conservation and promotion of natural abiotic
heritage, having geology and geomorphology as its main
elements (Nascimento et al. 2007), in association with knowl-edge
of the environment as a whole, including flora, fauna and
environmental education, as well as aspects related to the
inclusion of local communities regarding their socio-economic
development and in the preservation of this
heritage.
The first to mention the term geotourism was Hose (1995),
describing a type of tourism based on both geological and
geomorphological features, such as rock formations, geolog-ical
structures and landscapes. This initial conceptualisation
was characterised mainly by the physical aspects of these
attractions, as well as by the need to provide both touristic
and interpretive facilities in order to encourage visitors,
redefined later by the same author (Hose 2000) to include
the social benefit and the conservation of the sites. Newsome
and Dowling (2006) supported the “geo” part of the term as
related to the physical aspects and emphasised the role of the
processes that create such features. In a review paper, Hose
(2008) tells the history of geotourism and points out that in
1850s in Australia, even without the formal use of the term,
geological-based tourism had become thoroughly established.
The author also emphasises that, being a relatively new term,
it is continuously redefined and refined and, as mentioned by
Newsome and Dowling (2010), the term ought to be clarified.
These authors present a survey of the best-known definitions
and mention a broader concept disseminated since the early
2000s (Stueve et al. 2002; in Newsome and Dowling op. cit.)
by National Geographic, which includes geographical, socio-economical,
historical, and cultural aspects. Besides British
and American definitions, others came from Germany, Brazil
and Australia (Hose 2012 and references therein), which,
according to the author, differ essentially based on the
personal/academic background of the researcher.
Although not mutually exclusive, the different visions of
the term “geotourism” have been the subject of intense dis-cussion,
as emphasised by Moreira (2010) when highlighting
the controversy between the meaning given by National
Geographic (2009) and other authors who criticise the exclu-sion
of previous work that has focused on the same aspects
(Hose 2008). In these newer approaches, activities related to
geotourism should have as a natural complement the

3. dissemination of the knowledge acquired in the light of inte-gration
with other aspects of the heritage of the region. In this
sense, mention should be made of the Arouca Declaration,
drafted at the International Congress of Geotourism in the city
of Arouca, Portugal, in November 2011, which encompasses
and refines the National Geographic definition, although there
is no complete consensus among the geoheritage community.
Brazil is globally recognised for tourism, mainly provided
by its natural heritage, such as its beaches, the Amazon forest,
the Pantanal and Iguaçu falls, which are included in the 19
Brazilian United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites. However,
initiatives related to geotourism are still in their early stages.
Unlike other countries, little tourist information based on the
physical aspects of environments is available, such as stone
types, geomorphological evolution of the landscape and their
relationship with the history of the local communities. Main
reasons for this include the lack of a systematic program for
creating an inventory of national geological heritage, which is
essential for selecting geosites of scientific and/or touristic
significance, and the (almost) total ignorance of the public
regarding geology. This makes it difficult to implement
programmes related to the preservation of natural landscapes,
which are often relegated to a low priority. In this context,
the projects Caminhos Geológicos (Geological Walks) of
Rio de Janeiro (Department of Mineral Resources/Rio de
Janeiro State) and Monumentos Geológicos (Geological
Monuments) of Paraná (Mineropar-Department for Mineral
Resources of Paraná State) stand out as pioneers in publicising
and protecting potential geotouristic geosites in their respec-tive
states.
One proven effective strategy, under the aegis of
UNESCO, is the creation of geoparks, which are areas in
which the values of geological landscapes add to the socio-economic-
cultural aspects of a given region. Araripe geopark,
located in the state of Ceará, is the only example in Brazil so
far, but several proposals for geoparks have been presented
with the aim of protecting and promoting geological and
paleontological sites in Brazil. Examples of these include the
Quadrilátero Ferrífero (Iron Quadrangle) in Minas Gerais
State, the Ciclo do Ouro (Gold Cycle) in São Paulo state and
the Campos Gerais (General Meadows) in Paraná State.
Geotourism also should include aspects of built heritage or
urban geotourism, since many historical monuments and
buildings consist of many types of different stones, just as
there are many relevant outcrops of rocks inside the cities.
Several papers discuss this topic (Robinson 1982;Withington
1998; Rodrigues et al. 2011; Liccardo et al. 2012; Perez-
Monserrat et al. 2013; Sidall and Clements 2013; Borghi
et al. 2013; Robinson n.d.).
The UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of
the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage
Convention) of 1972 states that it is not possible to separate
natural heritage from built heritage. In this context, urban
geotourism is already beginning to diversify into branches
that can be classified as ecclesiastical geology, which is the
study and characterisation of geological materials used in
churches and monasteries (Potter 2005; Caetano and Verdial
2007; Caetano et al. 2010; Sidall 2012; Machado and Del
Lama 2013), and cemeterial geology, which refers to the
characterisation and identification of stone materials used in
tombs (Doyle and Robinson 1995; Cook 2009; Kuzmickas
and Del Lama 2011), which have historically been used for a
long time.
Initial Occupation of the Old Centre of São Paulo
and Relations with the Landscape and Geological
Materials
The settlement of the city of São Paulo has been related to
aspects of the physical environment since its inception. The
plateau, rivers and their extensive floodplains were important
geographical features for the establishment of the first European
populations that knew how to read the landscape around them
and also took into consideration the knowledge of the indige-nous
people living there so as to better adapt to the environment.
Seated atop a small and low hill, São Paulo de Piratininga
(the former name of São Paulo City, situated on the Piratininga
plateau) was surrounded by numerous watercourses, typified
by the basin of the Tietê river and its main tributaries on the
left bank. The foot of the hill was bathed by the Tamanduateí
river and the Anhangabaú creek, with the Tietê river running
farther to the west. Since its foundation, in the sixteenth
century, the outskirts of São Paulo suffered regular flooding
during the rainy season. At that time, these floods had a very
positive aspect as they turned the hill into a true peninsula,
ensuring the safety of the settlement during the summer
months (PMSP/SMC/DPH 2006).
The subbasin of the Tamanduateí river had a historical
importance in the settlement of the São Paulo region, even
before European colonisation. The indigenous population
there fed on fish stranded in flooded areas during the flood
period. The availability of food and access influenced the
settlement of the indigenous population on the terraces
bordering the Tamanduateí river and also the development
of the village of São Paulo de Piratininga in the hills by the
Europeans (Gouveia 2010).
In addition to providing food, the Tamanduateí river was an
important route connecting the newly established settlement
with the interior of the state of São Paulo and a navigable route
that provided for the establishment of trade relations for
products coming from distant farms or even from the coast.
Small boats provided the transport and unloaded at what was
then called the Porto Geral (General Port), which stood at the
end of a slope, now called Ladeira Porto Geral.
Geoheritage

4. According to Zagni (2004; in Gouveia 2010), the river had
strategic importance for the arrival of the Jesuits on the
Piratininga plateau. Considering the conflicting relationships
between the religious community and hostile indigenous
tribes at that time, the decision to establish the Jesuit mission
at a higher topographical level made it possible to observe the
movements of these tribes before a possible attack could be
constituted, causing the mission to organise its defence, which
was aided by a fortified wall. In this sense, the courses of
Tamanduateí and Anhangabaú rivers presented a difficult
obstacle to overcome and natural protection due to their
meandering paths and constant flooding.
It is in this topographically higher area that the Historic
Triangle was located, with vertices at the former convents of
Carmo, St. Benedict and St. Francis and bounded by São
Bento Street, Direita Street and Quinze de Novembro Street.
In the early period of the occupation of São Paulo, the
rivers were also used for recreation and leisure and as meeting
points in the floodplains of Tamanduateí and Tietê rivers.
People went to these points to socialise, have fun and play
games, as well as use them as locations for bathing.
However, at the same time, the population’s garbage and
sewage were also being dumped in the rivers, which led to the
degradation of watercourses that is still seen today.
According to Gouveia (2010), the occupation of São Paulo
from the sixteenth century until the late eighteenth century
was confined to the land between the Anhangabaú and
Tamanduateí rivers, and only in the nineteenth century did it
begin to extend to the hillside on the left bank of the
Anhangabaú, which was still a typically rural area.
Until the mid-nineteenth century, there was a great contrast
between the buildings of the coast and the plateau, since the
former used stone-and-lime masonry, which was more dura-ble,
while São Paulo was dominated by taipa (rammed earth)
constructions (Telles 2008).
São Paulo only became an important economic centre at the
end of the nineteenth century as a result of the coffee boom.
The opulence of the coffee boom was reflected in the buildings
of the city, which until thenweremade of taipa (rammed earth)
but then started to use other materials, such as stone, acquiring
the look of the current buildings of the old centre.
The buildings and the initial development of the cities are
related to the locally available types of geological materials,
since transportation over long distances was impractical at the
time. As stated by Menegat (2009), cities adjust to the geo-logical
landscape: “Not only are technology, culture, myths,
knowledge and intelligence related to landscape, but also to
the villages and our cities”.
This paper aims to present the main types of stones used in
the construction of the old centre of São Paulo as a complement
to various tourist trails available and in use in the old centre of
São Paulo, and thus to raise the awareness of the population to
the ornamental stone diversity present in this area.
Stones to Be Seen on the Proposed Route
Geoheritage
It is possible to see examples of the three major rock
groups by following the trail proposed here: igneous,
sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. They came mainly
from São Paulo state and also from other states and
countries.
Stones from São Paulo State
The crystalline basement in the São Paulo state is made up of
metamorphic and granitoid rocks of the central Ribeira
Belt (Coutinho 1972), which corresponds to a crustal
segment subparallel to the coastline of south-eastern Brazil.
The central Ribeira Belt is the collisional Brasiliano/Pan-
African Orogeny, related to the Gondwana formation in the
Neoproterozoic Era (Faleiros et al. 2011). Neoproterozoic
granitoids, batholiths and stocks are common throughout the
state of São Paulo (Alves et al. 2013 and the references cited
therein). These granitoids and related plutonic rocks represent
events of collisional and extensional tectonism. A summary of
the granites from the state of São Paulo registered more
than two hundred bodies of all sizes and types (Janasi
and Ulbrich 1992). Granites and granitoid rocks are
used as ornamental stones in monuments and buildings
of the old centre of São Paulo (Del Lama et al. 2009). The
central-western portion of the state of São Paulo consists of
the Paraná Basin, developed during the Paleozoic and
Mesozoic Eras, made up of sedimentary and volcanic rocks,
which were also used as ornaments in the old centre of São
Paulo (Fig. 1).
In this geological walk, igneous rocks are represented in
the buildings by granite, monzonite and basalt. Granites are
preferred in construction, as they predominate in the crystal-line
basement of the state of São Paulo according to the
inventory of Janasi and Ulbrich (1992).
Itaquera, Grey Mauá, Green Ubatuba, Pink Itupeva, Salto,
Bragança and Capão Bonito granites are examples of granites
in the strict sense.
Itaquera Granite (Fig. 2) is classified as a biotite
monzogranite and has a slightly oriented structure. It consists
of plagioclase, alkali feldspar, quartz, biotite, titanite, epidote
and traces of zircon, apatite, opaque minerals, chlorite, sericite
and carbonate (Janasi and Ulbrich 1992; Del Lama et al.
2009). Micaceous enclaves (fragments of other rocks) of small
dimensions are common.
Grey Mauá Granite (Fig. 3) is a biotite monzogranite
with features of magmatic flow foliation, provided by a
“swarm” of K-feldspar phenocrysts, which give the
granite a very peculiar feature. The texture is porphyrit-ic
with centimeter-scale megacrystals of alkali feldspar
and consists of plagioclase, alkali feldspar, quartz, biotite
and minor amounts of allanite, zircon, apatite, titanite, opaque

5. Fig. 1 Geological map of the granitoid rocks and the locations of the quarries of sedimentary rocks used as ornamental stones in São Paulo State
minerals, chlorite, epidote, muscovite, sericite and carbonate.
The presence of enclaves of various sizes, rock types and
colours is striking in this granite (Alves 2009; Del
Lama et al. 2009).
The granites described above belong to the Embu Domain
(Janasi et al. 2003).
Black Piracaia Granite (Fig. 4) is not petrographically a
granite due to its small amount of quartz. It is classified as a
hornblende–biotite–quartz monzonite and consists of plagio-clase,
biotite, alkali feldspar, quartz, hornblende, epidote,
titanite, apatite, opaque minerals, zircon, carbonates and
sericite (IPT 1990).
Pink Itupeva Granite (Fig. 5) is classified as a
monzogranite and consists of alkali feldspar, quartz, plagio-clase,
biotite, opaque minerals, zircon, sericite, chlorite, car-bonate
and clay minerals (IPT 2000).
Salto Granite (Fig. 6a) is a biotite syenogranite and consists
of alkali feldspar, quartz, plagioclase, biotite, hornblende,
titanite, opaque minerals, zircon, apatite, epidote, chlorite,
sericite and carbonates (IPT 1990).
Red Bragança Granite (Fig. 6b) is a porphyritic bio-tite
monzogranite with megacrystals of alkali feldspar,
consisting of alkali feldspar, plagioclase, quartz, biotite,
opaque minerals, zircon, apatite, epidote and sericite
(IPT 1990).
Red Capão Bonito Granite (Fig. 6c) is classified as a biotite
monzogranite. It consists of alkali feldspar, quartz, plagio-clase,
biotite, zircon, apatite, opaque minerals, epidote, car-bonates
and sericite (IPT 1990).
Itupeva, Salto, Capão Bonito and Piracaia granites belong
to the Itu Granite Province (Janasi et al. 2009).
Green Ubatuba Granite (Fig. 6d) is a charnockite (granite
with orthopyroxene) and is classified as an orthopyroxene–
hornblende monzogranite (hornblende charnockite). In min-eralogical
terms, it consists of alkali feldspar, plagioclase,
quartz, hornblende, orthopyroxene, biotite, opaque min-erals,
zircon, titanite, apatite, epidote and clay minerals
(IPT 1990). Azevedo Sobrinho et al. (2011) associate this
rock to the last granite genesis in the eastern part of the state of
São Paulo.
Geoheritage

6. Sedimentary rocks are represented by sandstones from the
Paraná Basin, specifically Itararé (Carboniferous) and
Botucatu (Juro-Triassic) sandstones.
Geoheritage
Itararé Sandstone (Fig. 6e), a deltaic sandstone, is feld-spathic,
friable and porous. It consists of quartz, plagioclase,
alkali feldspar, lithic fragments, tourmaline, zircon,
Fig. 2 Itaquera Granite and some buildings constructed with it. a
Faulted micaceous enclave. b Slightly oriented structure. c Mega-crystal
of alkali feldspar. d Buildings of historical interest on
Roberto Simonsen Street: Casa No. 1, Beco do Pinto and Solar
da Marquesa. e SPTrans building. f Bovespa building. g Building
on XV de Novembro Street. h Casa das Boias. i Obelisk of the
Memory. j Municipal Theater, only the basement is of granite, the
frontal facade is of Itararé Sandstone. k Shopping Center Light. l
Santo Antonio church. m University of São Paulo Faculty of Law.
n Guinle building. o Sé Cathedral

7. Geoheritage
muscovite, amphibole, opaque minerals, rutile, apatite, biotite
and smectite (Del Lama et al. 2008).
Botucatu Sandstone (Fig. 6f), typically eolic, is essentially
quartzose, poor in feldspar, and has ferruginous-clay cuticles,
smectite, quartz and feldspar cement and, locally, opal, chal-cedony
and calcite cement (Gesicki 2007).
Metamorphic rocks are represented by São Roque Phyllite
(Fig. 7). It is a rock formed in low-grade metamorphism and
consists mainly of quartz, sericite and chlorite. Besides these
minerals, São Roque Phyllite may also contain biotite, tour-maline,
zircon, leucoxene, magnetite, titanomagnetite, graph-ite
and pyrite (Juliani 1993).
Stones Outside São Paulo State
Stones from other Brazilian states, such as Espírito Santo,
Bahia and Minas Gerais, can also be observed in this walk.
Igneous rocks are represented by granite and syenite.
Carlos Chagas Granite (Fig. 8a) is a garnet biotite granite
with oriented features that still has a record of the metamor-
Fig. 3 Mauá Granite. a K-feldspar
phenocrysts. b The
presence of enclaves is very
common for this granite. c The
Pateo do Colégio’s floor consists
of Mauá Granite and basalt. d
Statue of Camões and facade of
Mário de Andrade Library are
made of Mauá Granite
Fig. 4 Piracaia Granite and some
buildings constructed with it. a
Feature of this granite. b Formely
Banco de São Paulo. c Sampaio
Moreira building, the basement is
Piracaia Granite, and the walls is
Itupeva Granite. d Caixa Cultural
building

8. phic rock that underwent almost total fusion to give rise
to it (diatexite). Due to alteration processes, it has a
yellowish hue that is commercially valued, and it comes
from the state of Espírito Santo. It consists of alkali
feldspar, plagioclase, quartz, biotite, garnet, sillimanite and
accessories of opaque minerals, apatite, monazite and zircon
(Pinto et al. 2001).
Blue Bahia Granite (Fig. 8b), from the state of the same
name, is a sodalite syenite. It consists of alkali feldspar,
sodalite, cancrinite, plagioclase, pyroxene, opaque minerals
and biotite (CBPM 2002).
Sedimentary rocks are represented by limestone and
conglomerate.
The limestone from Sete Lagoas (Fig. 8c) is a calcilutite
with arrays of calcite crystals, which are interpreted as
pseudomorphs after aragonite (Vieira et al. 2007). It
comes from the Sambra quarry in Inhaúma City, in the
state of Minas Gerais, and due to the rarity of aragonitic
layers in the Precambrian Era, this quarry is classified
as a site of geological–paleo environmental interest
(Hoppe et al. 2002).
The conglomerate (Fig. 8d) is very colourful and probably
comes from Bahia state.
Metamorphic rocks are represented by migmatite (Fig. 8e),
of which there is no reference regarding its origin, and by
meta-limestone with stromatolite (Fig. 8f).
The meta-limestone found in the old centre contains stro-matolites.
Stromatolites are laminated structures formed by
complex communities of microorganisms registered in the
rock billions of years ago. This rock belongs to the Minas
Supergroup and is 2.1–2.4 billion years old, consisting of
the oldest fossils of Latin America (Sallun Filho and
Fairchild 2005). The occurrence of these stromatolites was
discovered in 1974 at the Cumbi e LapaMine in Cachoeiro do
Campo, Minas Gerais State, which has been commercialising
dimension stones since 1935 (Dardenne and Campos
Neto 1975).
Foreign stones of carbonate composition can be found in
the walk (Fig. 9). Sedimentary rocks are represented by lime-stones—
travertine and fossiliferous (Lioz)—and metamor-phic
rocks by marble.
Travertine is a limestone of terrestrial origin that is formed
by the action of hot springs depositing calcium carbonate. The
two main countries producing this rock are Italy and Turkey,
and in the case of the stone found in the monuments of the old
centre the origin is Italy.
Fig. 5 Itupeva Granite and some
buildings constructed with it. a
Feature of this granite. b São
Paulo State Department of Justice
(left), Monument to the Immortal
Glory of the Founders of São
Paulo (middle) and first Civil
Appeals Court (right), only the
latter consists of Itupeva Granite.
c Banco do Brasil Cultural
Centre. e São Bento Monastery
which mixes Itaquera and Itupeva
granites in its external facade. f
MunicipalMarket orMercadão. g
Palace of Justice
Geoheritage

9. Geoheritage
Lioz is a fossil-containing limestone of Portuguese origin.
It has a varied colouration, but in the old centre, the most
common shades are light pink to dark pink. Silva (2008) has
discussed the use of this stone in the churches of Salvador in
the state of Bahia.
Different marbles were used in the buildings of the old
centre, mainly inside the buildings, and few examples can be
seen outside. Marbles with colours like white, greenish gray
and light pink can be seen, but the white colour predominates.
There is no information about their provenances, except for
the Carrara Marble from Italy, which was used as details in the
building facades.
Geotouristic Route in the Old Centre
When strolling through the old centre of São Paulo, it is
possible to see how the space has been transformed over time,
because the material records still testify to other geographical
and historical moments. Furthermore, it is possible to
ascertain the origins of the materials used in civil con-struction
that reflect the history of exploitation of min-eral
resources in the city of São Paulo, taking into
consideration the local availability and the materials that
were later imported and that are part of the diversity
that we find today in various buildings and in the
construction of the city itself.
Fig. 6 Other stones from São
Paulo State. a Salto Granite. b
Bragança Granite. c Capão
Bonito Granite. d Ubatuba
Granite. e Itararé Sandstone. f
Botucatu Sandstone
Fig. 7 Ionic capital made with São Roque Phyllite

10. The geotouristic trail proposed is approximately
6.5 km (4 miles) in length and can be completed within
4 h, depending on the amount of time and interest in
the suggested stops. This trail has been taken by grad-uate
and postgraduate students of the Institute of
Geosciences (University of São Paulo) since 2005. In this
Fig. 8 Stones outside São Paulo
State. a Carlos Chagas Granite. b
Bahia Granite. c Sete Lagoas
Limestone. d Conglomerate. e
Migmatite. f Meta-limestone with
stromatolite
Fig. 9 Stones of carbonate
composition. a Travertine from
Italy. b City Hall made with
travertine. c Lioz, a fossil-containing
limestone from
Portugal. d Carrara Marble from
Italy
Geoheritage

11. Geoheritage
case, it can take more than 6 h due to the detailed explanation
given in each stop.
The starting and finishing points of the trail are very close
together and close to Sé subway intersection,making it easy to
get around the region. On the map of Fig. 10, one can see the
location of the suggested stops. Some of the points described
were already addressed by Stern et al. (2006) and Augusto and
Del Lama (2011) but have been included here with new
information.
Stop 1
The Pateo do Colégio is the location of the reconstructed
church and school, the state Department of Justice, the first
Civil Appeals Court, the Monument to the Immortal Glory of
the Founders of São Paulo and the Peace Landmark. Roberto
Simonsen Street, to the side of the Pateo do Colégio, is the
location of the house called Casa No. 1, the Beco do Pinto and
the Solar da Marquesa.
The Pateo (Fig. 3c) was chosen as the start of the trail
because it was the site of the founding of the city on January
25, 1554. The current building (1954–1979) is a replica of the
former college of colonial architecture that was built in 1653
and destroyed in the eighteenth century. A preserved piece of a
taipa (rammed earth) wall from this period is on display in the
interior of the building. After the expulsion of the Jesuits in
1759, it housed the provincial government, and a palace was
built with a neoclassical facade. It is possible to see three Ionic
Fig. 10 Location of the suggested stops on the geotouristic trail in the Old Centre

12. capitals of the remainings of this building, consisting of
phyllite, probably from São Roque Group (Fig. 7).
The Pateo floor consists of Grey Mauá Granite and basalt.
Ferruginous concretions,materials with varied reddish-yellow
colourations, form part of the facing and are present in the
foundation of the whole complex. Note the lampposts for gas
lighting inside the Pateo, replicas from times with no electric-ity
supply.
The base of the Peace Landmark (2000) consists of Green
Ubatuba Granite.
The Monument to the Immortal Glory of the Founders of
São Paulo (Fig. 5b), byAmadeo Zani, was installed in 1925. It
consists of grey granite, a syenite column with significant
staining and a bronze sculptural element.
The first Civil Appeals Court is in an art-deco style with
ornaments inspired byMayan architecture and Doric columns.
It was designed by Ramos de Azevedo, Severo and Villares
office, and inaugurated in 1930 (Fig. 5b). It consists of Pink
Itupeva Granite. The entrance hall has a mosaic made up of
marble and Lioz.
The São Paulo State Department of Justice occupies two
buildings in the neoclassical style (the architectural style that
dominated São Paulo in the late nineteenth and early twentieth
centuries), designed by Ramos de Azevedo. Building number
184 in the square (Fig. 5b) was built from 1881 to 1891, being
the first work of this architect in the city of São Paulo. The
base consists of deformed granite or gneiss cut by pegmatoid
veins and inclusions. The presence of muscovite is quite
striking, with biotite, tourmaline and garnet; the last two only
to be seen locally. The bases of the lampposts on both sides
consist of Itaquera Granite. Building number 148 was inau-gurated
in 1896, and its base consists of Itaquera Granite.
Rectilinear leucocratic veins are observed, as well as a
pegmatoid vein and a faulted enclave. It is possible to see
the difference between the colour of the floor in the staircase
and the foundation. In the latter, the rock is more yellowed by
use and features bubbles due to changes that may have result-ed
from crystallisation of soluble salts from an excretory fluid
such as urine.
Very close to the Pateo, in Roberto Simonsen Street, there
are three places of historical interest that are now municipal
museums (Fig. 2d). The house called Casa No. 1 (House no.
1) has a foundation of Itaquera Granite, in which original and
recently replaced blocks can be seen, showing a difference in
alteration between them. The Beco do Pinto (Pinto Alley) was
a small passage that connected the former Carmo Street to the
bank of the Tamanduateí stream, with an earliest reference
date of 1802. It is also possible to see ferruginous concretions
in the bases of the walls here. The Solar daMarquesa (Solar of
Marquise) has its foundation of Itaquera Granite. It is a con-struction
from the second half of the eighteenth century,
originally in a colonial style, but after several changes, it
now has a neoclassical facade.
The intersection of XV de Novembro and Tesouro Streets
is occupied by a branch of the Banco do Brasil (Bank of
Brazil), the headquarters of the former Caixa Econômica do
Estado de São Paulo (Savings Bank of São Paulo State) and
stone-clad commercial buildings.
At 20, Manoel da Nóbrega Square, Black Piracaia Granite
veined with granite fragment can be seen.
The commercial building in this intersection has a
varnished travertine facing covered with resin. The doorframe
is faced with Salto Granite with some textural features of
petrogenetic interest, such as quartz crystals coated with bio-tite
and overgrown alkali feldspar.
The Banco do Brasil branch is completely faced with
migmatite, showing deformation in the plastic state. In many
places, the stone is stained due to the sticking of posters.
Stop 2
The Banco do Brasil Cultural Center (CCBB) is located at the
junction of Álvares Penteado and Quitanda Streets (Fig. 5c). It
was built between 1923 and 1927 by Hipólito Gustavo Pujol
Júnior in an eclectic mixture of neoclassical and art-nouveau
styles, and was the former bank’s headquarters in São Paulo.
Its facing is of red granite, resembling Pink Itupeva Granite,
polished at the bottom and just sawn at the top. More pro-nounced
hues can be seen in the polished stone.
The building at 101 Quitanda Street has a facing of Blue
Bahia Granite that is not actually a granite, rather a sodalite
syenite, as the rock contains no quartz. This is a rockwith high
added value, found in the state of Bahia.
Black Piracaia Granite can also be seen in the facing of the
building at No. 96, with a more homogeneous texture.
Taking Álvares Penteado Street from the CCBB to the
Largo do Café (Coffe Square) the following rocks can be seen:
– No. 160: Itaquera Granite
– No. 164: Black Piracaia Granite with fibrous feldspars
– No. 195: Ramos de Azevedo building, faced with Pink
Itupeva Granite
– No. 203: Green Ubatuba Granite
– No. 231: Sete Lagoas Limestone. Note the cuts across and
along the veins. This rock is from the Sambra Mine in
Sete Lagoas, Minas Gerais State, and is one of the
geosites of the in-course proposed Iron Quadrangle
Geopark. The floor consists of Bragança Granite.
Stop 3
XV de Novembro Street also features a variety of stone types
decorating the facades of buildings, detailed as follows:
– No. 233: Green Ubatuba Granite
– No. 251: Red granite with blue quartz
Geoheritage

13. – No. 268: Itaquera Granite, SPTrans building (Fig. 2e),
where it is possible to see the difference in weathering
between more sheltered and more exposed parts that
significantly softens the ornamentation of the columns
– No. 275: Itaquera Granite (polished and unpolished),
Bovespa (Stock Exchange of São Paulo) building
(Fig. 2f), built in the 1940s. The building occupies the
entire block, stretching as far as the Largo do Café; built
using polished granite at the bottom and sawn granite at
the top. Dispersed potassium feldspar xenocrysts with a
biotite reaction edge and micaceous enclaves with metal-lic
minerals are observed
– Nos. 336, 330, 324: Itaquera Granite and red granite, built
by Ramos de Azevedo (Fig. 2g). There are two types of
red granite: a redder one to the left side (the larger part),
which could be Itupeva Granite, and a browner one to the
right side with veins of feldspar filling fractures, which
could be Salto.
– No. 347: Black Piracaia Granite provides the facing for
the building that houses the Department of Sport, Leisure
and Youth, previously occupied by the Banco de São
Paulo (Fig. 4b). It was built in 1938 by Álvaro Botelho
in art-deco style.
Stop 4
Antonio Prado Square lies between São Bento and XV de
Novembro Streets and houses the buildings of the former
Banespa (previously the State Bank of São Paulo and now
the Santander Bank), headquarters of the Banco do Brasil, the
Martinelli Building and the De Nichile clock installed over a
column in the middle of the square.
Although not clad in stone, the Altino Arantes building,
former offices of Banespa, is worth a mention as it is a
landmark of São Paulo. It was inaugurated in 1947 and
inspired by the Empire State Building in New York. The
viewing deck with its 360° view of the city is worth a visit.
The De Nichile clock, built in 1935, has a dark-coloured
granitoid facing with blue interstitial quartz, with no identified
origin in the records.
The Martinelli building at 504 Libero Badaró Street was
inaugurated in 1929 and has a facing of Capão Bonito Granite.
It was the tallest building in the city for 7 years.
The Banco do Brasil building (465 São Bento Street),
headquarter in São Paulo City, has a facing of Green
Ubatuba Granite, both polished and unpolished.
Stop 5
The entry of São Bento subway station and Café Girondino
have facings of Gray Mauá Granite, which displays a profu-sion
of K-feldspar megacrystals and several enclaves.
The São Bento (Saint Benedict) Monastery (Fig. 5d),
which is one of the vertices of the Historic Triangle of the
ancient old centre, has been rebuilt five times, and the
Benedictine order has been on the site since 1600. Its current
configuration dates from 1922 and has a style close to German
eclecticism. Its external facing is in Itaquera and Pink Itupeva
granites. Its alteration forms are very clear: scales, concretions
and biological colonisation and formation of stalactites from
the mortar can be seen in the arch of the entrance of the
church.
In Largo São Bento (Saint Benedict Square), in front of the
church, there is a rounded mosaic floor with 60 pieces ofwhite
marble.
Stop 6
The building Casa das Boias (House of the Buoys), located at
123 Florêncio de Abreu Street (Fig. 2h), was built in 1909 in
art-nouveau style. The bottom part consists of Itaquera
Granite, where a yellowing of the granite in an advanced state
of alteration can be seen. It was recently restored by the
owners of the property, retaining the original characteristics
of the building.
Stop 7
Despite the heavy footfall on 25 de Março Street, the famous
popular shopping street, it is worth noting the conglomerate
that forms the facing of the building at No. 837.
Stop 8
The Municipal Market or Mercadão, as it is better known
(Fig. 5e), was designed in 1926 by Ramos de Azevedo and
opened seven years later. Its base consists of Pink Itupeva
Granite. The stained glass in the upper windows, which can be
appreciated from inside, were made by Casa Conrado (a
former Brazilian workshop specialised in the manufacture of
stained glass).
Stop 9
The centre of the Paissandú Square is occupied by the Nossa
Senhora dos Homens Pretos (Our Lady of BlackMen) church
and at its side is the Mãe Preta (Black Mother) statue, a
protected heritage monument. The statue is made of bronze
and has a Granite base that is no longer visible, having been
painted. There is a notable degradation of the lower part of the
stone caused by heat, since people tend to light candles for
religious reasons.
The Olido Gallery has a facing in the same type of
migmatite as Stop 1 and features a planter made of Carlos
Chagas Granite, the same rock that covers the courtyard of the
Geoheritage

14. Institute of Geosciences of the University of São Paulo. The
floor consists of meta-limestone with stromatolites, which are
the oldest fossils in South America, and also contains
stylolites, jagged limestone dissolution structures.
Stop 10
The specific feature of Marconi Street is buildings that have
travertine facing with two cutting directions relative to the
layering. The more frequently seen is cut across the layers and
the stratification positioned in horizontal, as can be seen in the
building at No. 53. At Nos. 34, 40 and 48, the travertine is also
seen in profile cutting but the stratification positioned in
vertical. At Nos. 23 and 107, the cut is according to the
layering, which shows no structural direction defined to the
stone.
The buildings at Nos. 94, 125 and 138 are faced with a
fossiliferous limestone, where the stone is quite degraded in
the last building.
Other points of interest on this street are the buildings at
No. 131, faced in a brecciated marble, as well as No. 23,
which has a sill in meta-limestone with stromatolite.
Stop 11
Dom José Gaspar Square should be named “Literary and
Musical Nations Square”, as there are many statues, installed
between 1942 and 1955, honouring the Portuguese, Spanish,
Polish, Italian and German immigrant communities. These
monuments are mostly in bronze with stone pedestals. The
pedestal for the statue of Camões is made of Grey Mauá
Granite (Fig. 3d), the pedestals of Cervantes and Chopin
consist of Pink Itupeva Granite, that of Dante Alighieri con-sists
of travertine and Goethe’s pedestal is made of greenish-gray
coloured marble with a front plate in Bragança Granite.
The Mário de Andrade Municipal Library (Fig. 3d) was
founded in 1926 at another address, being later transferred to
the current address in 1941, and only later named Mário de
Andrade, one of the greatest Brazilian writers and poets in
1960. It is completely clad with slabs of Grey Mauá Granite.
The stains on the edges of the slabs are probably due to an
excess of water in the mortar. The statue of Mário de Andrade
that was previously in the square now stands within the
library.
Stop 12
Ladeira da Memória (Memory Hill) is the site of the oldest
monument in the city: the Obelisk of the Memory (Fig. 2i).
This is the Pyramid of Piques, as itwas formerly known, and it
was designed by Daniel Peter Müller in 1814. In 1919, Victor
Dubugras redesigned the Largo in neocolonial style, including
a new fountain. Portuguese-style tiles depict scenes from old
Geoheritage
times and the stairs were given art-nouveau features. The
obelisk consists of Itaquera Granite and the staircase of Grey
Mauá Granite.
Stop 13
Ramos de Azevedo Square is the site of the São Paulo
Municipal Theater, with the statue of Carlos Gomes facing
towards the Anhangabaú valley and the building of the former
headquarters of the CBA (a Brazilian aluminum company),
which was the Hotel Esplanada before that.
The construction of the theatre, inaugurated in 1911, was
supervised by architectural engineer Ramos de Azevedo.
Externally, it has a renaissance style and was inspired by the
Opéra Garnier in Paris (Fig. 2j). The base of the theatre is
made of Itaquera Granite. The front part consists of Itararé
Sandstone with columns of red syenite. The slabs of this
sandstone show different cuts relative to the stratification:
along the strata, horizontal cross cut and vertical cross cut.
The last of these facilitates the degradation of the rock which
can be seen in the facade. The sides and back of the theatre are
made of masonry.
Behind the theatre is the building occupied by a department
of the municipal government, having been the headquarters of
the Brazilian Aluminum Company (CBA) for many years and
originally home to the Hotel Esplanada, built in 1923. It
consists of brown granite, and the difference in polishing is
noticeable, as is the presence of stains on the polished granite.
The Carlos Gomes monument consists of marble statues
and a pink granite base. This rock is very discoloured,
maybe due to use of inappropriate cleaning method, bear-ing
in mind that the monument is constantly exposed to
urine, being used as a toilet for the homeless in the old
centre of the city.
Inaugurated in 1929, the Shopping Center Light is a rare
example of eclecticNorth-American architecture with a strong
neoclassical inspiration, implemented by the Ramos de
Azevedo Technical Office. It was designed to be the head-quarters
of the São Paulo Tramway, Light and Power
Company and has been home to the Shopping Center Light
since 1999 (Fig. 2k). This building consists of Itaquera
Granite and Pink Itupeva Granite. The portal is made of
fossiliferous limestone.
Continuing over the Viaduto do Chá (Tea Viaduct) towards
the Patriarca Square (Patriarch Square), one can see the paving
of silicified sandstone, similar to the silicified sandstones of
the Botucatu Formation, separated by red granite.
Stop 14
The Matarazzo building has been the seat of City Hall
(Fig. 9b) since 2004. The building, designed by Italian archi-tect
Marcello Piacentini, is an example of the influence of

15. fascism in architecture, having been inaugurated in 1939. The
whole façade is covered with Italian travertine. In front of it is
the Guanabara monument, depicting an Indian woman, made
of Gray Mauá Granite.
The Sampaio Moreira building, located at 346 Libero
Badaró Street, was inaugurated in 1924 (Fig. 4c) designed
by Cristiano Stockler das Neves in a Louis XVI style. It was
the tallest building in the city until the inauguration of the
Martinelli building. The ground floor is home to the traditional
delicatessen Casa Godinho (Godinho Shop) listed as intangi-ble
heritage in January of 2013, being the first kind of this
heritage to be listed by Conpresp (municipal council for
heritage preservation). It consists of Pink Itupeva and Black
Piracaia granites.
At Patriarch Square, Santo Antonio church (Fig. 2l) is the
oldest in the centre, with the earliest references in 1592. The
current facade is from 1899–1919. The base is in Itaquera
Granite, and its staircase is in Grey Mauá Granite.
The bronze statue of José Bonifácio, Patriarch of
Independence, is the work of Alfredo Ceschiatti and was
inaugurated in 1972. The pedestal is made of Green Ubatuba
Granite and suffers constant acts of vandalism with scratches
and inscriptions, as do many of the monuments and buildings
in the old centre.
Stop 15
Saint Francis Square is the location of the São Francisco
de Assis church, the University of São Paulo Faculty of
Law, with the statue of Álvares de Azevedo opposite it
and the Álvares Penteado Foundation Technical School of
Commerce.
The São Francisco de Assis church, the third vertex of the
historical triangle, has parts of Itaquera Granite and on the
inside there are real taipa (rammed earth) walls.
The Faculty of Law was set up in this location in 1828, at
first occupying the colonial Franciscan convent that was
demolished in 1932. The current building (Fig. 2m), in a
neoclassical style, is by architect Ricardo Severo, successor
to Ramos de Azevedo. It consists of Itaquera Granite.
The statue of Álvares de Azevedo is in bronze, and its base
is in Itaquera Granite.
The Álvares Penteado Foundation was built in 1907–1908
by architect Carlos Ekman. It consists of Itaquera Granite and
red granite.
Stop 16
Guinle building is located at 49 Direita Street. It has an art-nouveau
style and was the first skyscraper in São Paulo, built
between 1913 and 1916 by architects Hipólito Gustavo Pujol
Júnior and Augusto de Toledo (Fig. 2n). The base consists of
Itaquera Granite.
Stop 17
The Caixa Cultural (Federal Saving Bank Cultural Center)
building was designed by Albuquerque and Longo and inau-gurated
in 1939. Since 1989, it has been home to the Caixa
Cultural (Fig. 4d). It is covered by Black Piracaia Granite. The
extensive degradation of this stone can be seen, mainly in the
presence of extensive stains. The floor consists of Itaquera
Granite.
Stop 18
The Palace of Justice (Fig. 5f), in an eclectic style with a neo-renaissance
influence, is a work by the Ramos de Azevedo
Technical Office, designed in 1911 but only inaugurated in
1933. It was inspired by the Palace of Justice in Rome. It
consists of Pink Itupeva Granite. Enclaves and bands with
concentrations of pink feldspar can be seen. Several restora-tions
made with an orange-tinted mortar stand out in the
facade, demonstrating an inappropriate type of intervention
for stone facades.
Stop 19
Sé Square marks the official centre of the city of São Paulo,
where the official central point of the city is situated. It is also
the location of Sé Cathedral and statues of St. Paul and José de
Anchieta.
The pedestal of José de Anchieta is made of the same
migmatite as at Stop 1. Concretion and staining can be seen
in the stone.
Grey Mauá Granite can be seen in the base of the statue of
Saint Paul and in the mosaic in the ground around the marker
of the official centre, as well as monzodiorite and grey granite
with a flow texture.
The marker of the centre, made of marble, was sculpted in
1934 by French artist Jean Gabriel Villin.
Sé Cathedral (Fig. 2o) was designed by German architect
Maximilian Hehl in a neo-Gothic style in 1912 and inaugu-rated
in 1954. It is built with grey granite and has statues in
Itaquera Granite.
Final Considerations
Walking through the old centre of São Paulo, it is possible to
see a close relationship between urban development and ge-ology,
not only in the settlement of the urban core, but also in
the use of stone in many historical buildings.
Despite the use of imported stones, mainly from Italy and
Portugal, in the construction of buildings and monuments,
most of the stones used in the facades and monuments of the
Geoheritage

16. old city centre of São Paulo are Brazilian, particularly from
the state of São Paulo. Notable examples are Itaquera
Granite, Grey Mauá Granite, Black Piracaia Granite,
Pink Itupeva Granite and Green Ubatuba Granite. The
trade names of the different types of granites are related to
their places of origin, even though they do not represent that
actual type of stone.
Themain stone used in buildings is Itaquera Granite, which
is no longer commercially exploited as a dimension stone. The
large quarry that was at 5889 Itaquera Avenue, in the eastern
part of the city, is today surrounded by urban area and no
longer active. It has been completely backfilled and is due to
the site of a residential development. It is located next to the
new Corinthians soccer stadium (the Itaquerão), where the
2014 Soccer World Cup will be launched. There is still ex-traction
of this granite in its neighbourhood for use as crushed
stone in construction. Its first use as monumental stone dates
from 1814, seen in the Obelisk of the Memory. In addition to
the points mentioned here, Itaquera granite is also found in the
bases of the monuments Aretuza, Nostalgia, The Indian and
the Huntsman, The Girl and Calf, After the Bath, and the
portal of Consolação Cemetery, Pacaembu Stadium, Ramos
de AzevedoMonument and the monument in honour of the
São Paulo City Athletics Club, all of them situated outside the
old centre of São Paulo.
Itaquera and Itupeva granites seem to have been the dimen-sion
stone of choice for the Ramos de Azevedo architectural
firm for the construction of several public buildings inaugu-rated
between the late nineteenth century and 1930, including
the first Civil Appeals Court, the Palace of Justice, the
Municipal Market and the current Shopping Center Light.
These granites also adorn other historical buildings in the
old centre, such as the São Bento Monastery, which was
restored in the same period.
Gray Mauá Granite, from the towns of Mauá and Ribeirão
Pires, situated in the metropolitan area of São Paulo City, is
still widely in use in the city of São Paulo, its use becoming
more frequent from the 1940s. It is found in much of the
paving of the old centre and in many subway stations.
Besides the monuments and buildings already mentioned
here, it was used in Duque de Caxias, Fauno and Bandeiras
monuments, all designed by Victor Brecheret, also outside the
old centre area. It seems to have been his favourite stone as
raw material.
Although commercially known as Black Piracaia Granite
from Piracaia in the state of São Paulo, in reality, this rock is
classified as a monzodiorite/monzonite. Besides all the build-ings
indicated above, it is also widely found in the facades of
several buildings on Conselheiro Crispiniano Street, as well as
the Regency building at 210 Xavier de Toledo Street, both
places in the old centre. The oldest building with Black
Piracaia facade dates from 1924 (Sampaio Moreira building,
346, Libero Badaró Street).
Geoheritage
Green Ubatuba Granite, from Ubatuba in the state of São
Paulo, is also no longer commercially exploited. Nowadays, a
very similar charnockite from the state of Espírito Santo is
used in the cladding and facades of buildings.
People tend to preserve what they know, so this
geotouristic trail aims to publicise geosciences through infor-mation
about different types of rocks used in the construction
of the metropolis, particularly the buildings in the old centre.
Additionally, it assists greatly in teaching about heritage edu-cation
and involving the community in the preservation of
monuments, contributing to the preservation of the historical
heritage of São Paulo City.
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