The chimney
A city symbol.
Lechatjaune — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Thiago Melo from Brasília, Brasil — CC BY 2.0 · Rodrigo H. Castilhos — Public domain · Zonda Bez from brasilia/df, Brasil — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Yeuxpapilon — CC BY-SA 4.0
The Usina do Gasômetro is a former coal-fired power station on the bank of the Guaíba, opened on 11 November 1928 as the headquarters of an American company that ran Porto Alegre's electricity and trams; it generated power until 1974. The name misleads: it was never a gasworks, but took its name from the «Gasômetro bend» area, after a nearby gas factory. Its best-known feature is its towering chimney, now a symbol of the city. The city wanted to demolish it to widen a road, but a civic campaign saved it; it was listed by the city in 1982 and the state in 1983, restored and opened as a cultural centre in 1991. After a long closure for restoration, with works that got under way in 2020 and were delayed several times, it reopened on 26 August 2025 after a full restoration of more than 12,000 square metres. It hosts exhibitions and cultural events, but the place itself is the draw: at sunset locals gather on the Guaíba bank beside it to watch the sun go down over the river, one of Porto Alegre's finest sights. The square next door links to the Orla do Guaíba promenade.
A city symbol.
Over the Guaíba.
A cultural centre.
Avenida João Goulart 551, historic centre, Porto Alegre
Orla do Guaíba (Guaíba Waterfront)The Orla do Guaíba, officially Parque Jaime Lerner after the urbanist whose offi4 minutes walk4.8
Casa de Cultura Mario QuintanaThe Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana fills the former Hotel Majestic, the grandest9 minutes walk4.9
Piratini PalaceThe Piratini Palace is the seat of the Rio Grande do Sul state government, on Pr13 minutes walk4.6
Rio Grande do Sul Museum of Art (MARGS)The Rio Grande do Sul Museum of Art, MARGS, holds the largest public collection 13 minutes walk4.8
Porto Alegre Public MarketThe Public Market is Porto Alegre's oldest market and one of its best-loved meet19 minutes walk4.6Yes; it reopened on 26 August 2025 after a full restoration of more than 12,000 square metres.