Ibirapuera Park

Infobox park
park=Ibirapuera Park

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image size=200px
caption=The Obelisk
type=Urban park
location=São Paulo, Brazil
size_acre=345
size_sqmi=0.6
opened=1954
status=Open all year

Ibirapuera Park (in Portuguese "Parque do Ibirapuera") is a major urban park in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. It has a large area for leisure, jogging and walking, as well as a convention center. Its importance to São Paulo is comparable to the Central Park in New York City.

History

Inaugurated in 1954 for the 400 anniversary of the city with buildings designed by famous architect Oscar Niemeyer and landscape by designer Roberto Burle Marx, Ibirapuera Park covers an area of almost two square kilometers.The second biggest park in the city. Admission is free of charge.

Features

The park complex contains several buildings, most of them designed by Oscar Niemeyer. They include:
* The Grande Marquise ("The great marquee"), where the MAM - Museu de Arte Moderna ("Modern Art Museum") is located;
* The Cicillo Matarazzo Pavilion, home for the Museu de Arte Contemporânea da USP ("Contemporary Art Museum"), and a space for events and expos, including the São Paulo Art Biennial and the São Paulo Fashion Week;
* The Manoel da Nóbrega Pavilion, which until 1992 was the city hall;
* The Lucas Nogueira Garcez Pavilion, formerly known as "Palácio das Exposições"("Expositions Palace") and now known as the Oca ("hut", given its round shape), which harbors both the Museu da Aeronáutica ("Air Force Museum") and the Museu do Folclore ("Folklore Museum");
* The Armando de Arruda Pereira Pavilion, home for the Prodam - Companhia de Processamento de Dados do Município ("Municipal Data Processing Company");
* The Palácio da Agricultura ("Agriculture Palace"), home of Detran, municipal transit department. The building was originally intended to harbor the municipal agriculture department;
* The Planetarium and Municipal Astrophysics School. The Planetarium building which is shaped like a flying saucer. It was the first Planetarium in the Southern Hemisphere and has a dome which is 20 meters in diameter. The German projection machine shows the sky above São Paulo from dusk to dawn. During the projection a professional astronomer explains the most famous stars and constellations as well as the movements of the Earth and other planets;
* The Gymnasium;
* The Japanese Pavilion
* The Monumento às Bandeiras
* The Ibirapuera Auditorium, controversial building that was on the original Niemeyer plan, but was only built recently.

External links

* [http://www.auditorioibirapuera.com.br/ Auditório Ibirapuera]
* [http://www.prodam.sp.gov.br/ibira/historico.htm Official site]
* [http://www.macvirtual.usp.br/mac/home.asp?idioma=3 Museum of Contemporary Art]