It’s hard to walk past Dom Pedro II Park and not notice the Tabatinguera Barracks, the imposing historic building that is decaying on the edge of Avenida do Estado. The former site of the Second Guards Battalion is one of the few non-religious buildings from the 19th century that still stand in the center of São Paulo, but despite its historical value, it is striking for the amount of rubble and its worn-out appearance.
Abandoned battalion in SP was once a military symbol
The first buildings of the current Tabatinguera Barracks were erected in 1842, in brick masonry and rammed earth. The land was home to a farm in the colonial period and , throughout the 19th century, it housed a convent, seminaries and even a mental institution.
According to historical research on the São Paulo Antiga portal, around 1905 the building was adapted to house the Public Force, the former name of the state police. The Brazilian government took possession of the site in 1964 and transformed it into a battalion of the Armed Forces, until returning the property to the São Paulo government in 1992.
The barracks then became the 2nd Guards Battalion of the Military Police, the name by which it is still known today. Up until that point, the building had retained its original architectural features, such as colorful moldings and stained glass windows, and remained in excellent condition.
Tabatinguera barracks at risk of collapse
The Tabatinguera Barracks are a historical heritage site for the city and the state of São Paulo. However, this hasn’t stopped the place from being empty since 1992, when the 2nd Military Police Guards Battalion was transferred to Osasco. Without maintenance, the once well-kept space slowly turned into ruins.
In 2022, a visit by Folha de S. Paulo found that the infrastructure was compromised, with crumbling roofs, accumulated garbage and abandoned Military Police vehicles. In addition, raids on the barracks accelerated its degradation, with the theft of wires, taps, pipes, gates and even bricks.
In May 2025, the state government announced that it was studying the possibility of restoring the barracks. The project, which is to be part of the Downtown Redevelopment program, envisages restoring the space and building housing for low- and middle-income families around it. In other words, if the proposal comes to fruition, the abandoned battalion in São Paulo could return to São Paulo life, perhaps for another 180 years.
