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Much as in other Brazilian cities, the history of the downtown district of Curitiba revolves around the first church built in the city, Igreja de São Francisco. In the early days it was the focal point where roads and streets converged, businesses set up shop, the government established its representation, and urban sprawl unfolded. Development in the last 50 years moved the administrative and commercial district away from the original center, where symbols of early days are preserved.
It would be a shame to visit Brazil's environmental capital without seeing one of its many parks, especially the Jardim Botânico, east of downtown.
Although not as old and renowned as its counterpart in Rio, the Botanical Garden has become a Curitiba showplace. Its most outstanding feature is the tropical flora in the two-story steel-and-glass greenhouse that was inspired by London's Crystal Palace. The Municipal Botanical Museum, with its library and remarkable collection of rare Brazilian plants, is also worth visiting. There are several paths for jogging or just wandering.
