Understand
It is a historical neighboorhood and one of the most decadent parts of town. The buildings of two important historic train station hubs (Julio Prestes and Luz) and located there. Julio Prestes has an impressive tower with columns and it was the arrival point of the Sorocabana trains that brought coffee beans from Western Sao Paulo and Parana' states to Sao Paulo to be exported to the world via the port of Santos. It also transported passengers. It houses the Sala Sao Paulo, a state of the art concert hall where the Sao Paulo orchestra presents. It is known as the most advanced concert hall in the world. On the opposite side of Julio Prestes, near Tiradentes avenue and the elegant Jardim da Luz square, is the Estacao da Luz, which was built in England and assembled in Brazil. Luz was the gateway of European and Japanese immigrants who landed in Santos. It houses the Museu da Lingua Portuguesa, an interactive linguistics museum that shows the different accents and dialects of Portuguese in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, as well as its relation to other tongues and their developments and influence of African, Amerindian, Asian and European languages on Brazilian Portuguese. The Jardim da Luz square in front of Luz station was a meetting point for Sao Paulo's high society in the early 20th century. When the barons of coffee started moving out of downtown, the region entered into different stages of decay. Long know as a dangerous red light district, it did not decay any further until the intermunicipal, interstate, and international bus terminal moved from here to Tiete' subway station area in the 1980s, and crack addicts arrived in the 1990s. The Pinacoteca (paintaings) Museum and the Museu de Arte Sacra are located on Tiradents avenue. Rua Jose' Paulino is known as the budget price garment district, which was previously occupied by Jewish and Arabic shop owners and are now owned by Koreans, who often employ Bolivian and Asian workers under a sweatshop/slave system, which are often raided by police. Greek and Kosher food can still be found in restaurants on Rua da Graca. A sizable Armenian population live or has business from Tiradentes avenue to the Armenia/Ponte Pequena district. Important churches here are the Armenian rite Saint Gregory church, the Convento da Luz and Luz church where Saint Anthony Galvao is buried, the Methodist and Sao Cristovao Catholic churches, and further down, the Armenian Evangelical church. Currently under revitalization, Luz is worth a trip. Caution is advised even during the day.
See
Monuments
'''Monument to Duke of Caxias''', Praca Princesa Isabel, s/n. (avenida Rio Branco)
Museums
'''Museu de Arte Sacra''', na Av. Prestes Maia, 676, in front of Pinacoteca, [http://www.saopaulo.sp.gov.br/saopaulo/cultura/museus_pinac.htm]. Opened tuesday to sunday, from 11am to 7pm. Tickets R$4.
'''Museu de Energia''', Alameda Cleveland, 601.
'''Museum of the Portuguese Language''', [http://www.estacaodaluz.org.br/], on Luz station, entrance by the side of the plaza, in front of Pinacoteca; opened from tuesday to sunday, from 10am to 6pm. Tickets R$4.
'''Pinacoteca do Estado''', praca da Luz, 2, between the Gardem of Luz and Avenida Prestes Maia, [http://www.pinacoteca.org.br/].
Parks
'''Parque da Luz''', Avenida Tiradentes s/n.