The Historic Center of São Paulo is home to several relics from the past, including the imposing Sampaio Moreira Building. Inaugurated in the 1920s, the building was a landmark in the city’s architecture, impressing with its twelve floors and fifty meters in height. At a time when buildings rarely exceeded four storeys, the Sampaio Moreira was named the first skyscraper and transformed the capital’s skyline!
The name pays homage to José de Sampaio Moreira, a businessman from São Paulo and the building’s first owner. In 1992, CONPRESP announced that the building had been listed as a cultural heritage site in São Paulo.
The century-old charm of the Sampaio Moreira Building
Inaugurated in 1924, the Sampaio Moreira Building stood out from the start for its eclectic style, which blends European and North American trends. In addition to its imposing façade, the building is also home to São Paulo’s first rooftop. With its concrete pergolas and panoramic views, the terrace became a symbol of modernity at the beginning of the last century.
Designed to be a commercial building, it initially housed offices for self-employed professionals and became an economic hub of the time. In 2018, after seven years of restoration, the Sampaio Moreira Building became the headquarters of the Municipal Department of Culture. The structure still preserves its original elevators from the 1920s.
São Paulo’s first skyscraper and first grocery store
The Sampaio Moreira Building is also home to Mercearia Godinho, the oldest grocery store in São Paulo. Founded by a Portuguese immigrant in 1890, the store was set up on the first floor of the building in 1924 and is still active today.
Mercearia Godinho retains the values and charm of the old shops, reminding us of the times when the center was the heart of São Paulo life. Thus, São Paulo’s first skyscraper holds countless treasures from the city’s history, uniting modernity and tradition for over 100 years.
