Native American Chief Tibiriçá and the Jesuit priests José de Anchieta and
Manuel de Nóbrega founded the village of São Paulo de Piratininga on 25 January
1554 -- Feast of the Conversion of Paul the Apostle. Along with their
entourage, the priests established a mission named Colégio de São Paulo de
Piratininga aimed at converting the Tupi-Guarani native Brazilians to the
Catholic religion. São Paulo's first church was constructed in 1616, and it was
located where today is the the
Pátio do Colégio (metrô: Sé or São Bento
station).
São Paulo officially became a city in 1711. In the 19th
