Today, São Paulo is a veritable jungle of skyscrapers, but when the Martinelli Building was first developed, it was met with shock and controversy. Prior to its construction, buildings that were more than 10 stories high were rare. But developer Giuseppe Martinelli—an Italian immigrant who had relocated to Brazil in 1889—stubbornly took the building to 25 stories, with his own family mansion constructed on top of its viewing deck. After falling into disrepair, the building underwent an extensive renovation process in 1975. Today, it is considered a gem of beaux-arts architecture, and a symbol of the city.
The Martinelli Building is located conveniently in São Paulo’s downtown, or Centro. It’s easy to stop to admire it independently, or to spot it on a range of guided and audio walking tours.