Museu do Ipiranga (Paulista Museum)

This monumental palace was built in the late nineteenth century to commemorate Brazilian independence, standing beside the Ipiranga brook where independence was proclaimed in 1822. Its grand eclectic facade overlooks formal French gardens with fountains and statuary. Inside, the state history museum displays furniture, paintings and objects tracing the country's past, including a famous large canvas of the moment of independence. Recently restored and expanded underground, the palace is a major civic landmark.