Liberty Palace (Paço da Liberdade) in Curitiba

Liberty Palace is a historic building in Curitiba’s city center that transitioned from being the seat of municipal power to a cultural center run by Sesc Paraná. Inaugurated in 1916, the building was designed by Cândido Ferreira de Abreu to house the City Hall and the Municipal Chamber. Decades later, it was restored and reopened as a cultural space, keeping its role as a public landmark in the city’s historic core. The building is protected at the state level and by IPHAN. Its construction blends eclectic features, with neoclassical and art nouveau influences. After the restoration, it preserved original elements visible to visitors—such as parts of old paint and sections of the water-drainage system displayed under glass floors. The palace also housed Curitiba’s first elevator, linked to the city’s modernization at the start of the 20th century. Today, Sesc Liberty Palace operates as a multifunctional cultural center. The venue includes a library, cinema, theater, a gallery, and exhibition rooms, as well as an auditorium, café, and bookstore. It hosts courses, exhibitions, talks, and other cultural activities in a recurring schedule. Among the activities offered on site are music events and guided visits through the Historic Center. With its mix of services and spaces, the building has become a hub for cultural programming and a close encounter with preserved heritage—combining contemporary use with an appreciation of its architecture and its former administrative function.