São Paulo – What are the similarities between the architecture of the Brás district in São Paulo, Brazil, and the Islamic architecture in Cairo, Egypt? An unprecedented walking tour of the district will answer these and other questions. Open for registration, the walking tour “Cairo, São Paulo, Ties: Intertwined Heritage” includes a walk through Brás to the Brás Mosque. The free walking tour takes place on Sunday (21) from 10 am till noon.
The Arab immigration in Brazil is a major factor in the large influence of the Arab culture in Brazilian culture. Therefore, you can see a mirroring effect between third-world cities like São Paulo and Historic Cairo, a UNESCO world heritage site. Inspired by the major central district of Brás, teeming with culture and history, the itinerary goes through streets that have received immigrants from across the globe.
Professor Tania Miotto, who teaches Theory and History of Architecture and Urbanism and Restoration of Historical Heritage at the Anhembi Morumbi University, will lead the free walking tour together with Architecture student Leandro Alexandre, who participated in an AIESEC volunteer work interchange program in Egypt with a project that involved Islamic architecture where he conducted walking tours through Old Cairo together with an Egyptian coordinator.
During the interchange program, Alexandre told ANBA that he was interested in conducting a research on architectural similarities between Arab and Brazilian cultures. The walking tour on Sunday will be the first result from this research. “We’ll talk a lot about the Arab culture and the similarities that São Paulo and Cairo share,” Alexandre said.
The walking tour is part of the Heritage Journey, an annual event held by the Secretariat of Culture of the city of São Paulo through its Department of Historical heritage and its Center for Cultural Program, which aims to bring the population closer to their historical heritage. Held since 2015, the journey traditionally takes place in the third week of August with activities on Saturday and Sunday. This year, its theme is: “So close and yet so far away.”
Quick facts
Free walking tour “Cairo, São Paulo, Ties: Intertwined Heritage”
Heritage Journey 2022
Sunday, August 21
10 am-12 pm
Meeting place: Praça Agente Cícero (at the metro stop Brás)
São Paulo
Registration open
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
