The City of São Paulo's Anniversary

Every year on January 25^th the city of São Paulo hosts its anniversary celebrations, which traditionally offer a warm welcome to visitors.

On January 25^th, 1554, Jesuit missionaries Manuel da Nóbrega and José de Anchieta founded the Jesuit College in order to establish a college to the education of Indians in the region.  The Pátio do Colégio, located downtown, is considered the birthplace of the city.

The city was given this name because on January 25^th the Catholic Church celebrates the conversion of Paul of Tarsus, the apostle, who became “São Paulo” and had his name given to the city.

Each year people celebrate the city of São Paulo’s anniversary by baking a cake to match the number of years that have passed since its founding. The most famous is in the Bixiga, where people cook a meter for every year since the city’s foundation.

Illustrating the city’s ethnic and cultural mix, concerts organized throughout São Paulo feature musical styles for all types of music lovers, such as samba, rock, hip-hop and jazz in a program worthy of this major event.