Discover the history of the Palace Hotel, one of the most emblematic buildings in Ribeirão Preto The Quarteirão Paulista, in the center of Ribeirão Preto (SP), houses one of the most emblematic buildings in the city. Currently the Palace Cultural Center, the building brings together almost a century of stories marked by the wealth of coffee, power struggles, architecture, urban legends and stories that feed the popular imagination. Built during the height of the coffee economy, the building opened in 1926 as the Central Hotel. Conceived by coffee merchant Adalberto Henrique de Oliveira Roxo, the venture emerged at a time when Ribeirão Preto was consolidating itself as one of the most prosperous cities in the interior of São Paulo, a symbol of the wealth produced by coffee. This report is part of the series 'Hidden Stories', a special production by EPTV, a TV Globo affiliate, to celebrate Ribeirão Preto's 170th anniversary, celebrated on June 19th. Curiosities, notable characters and facts that few people know help to understand the trajectory of one of the most important cities in the state of São Paulo. ✅Click here to follow the g1 Ribeirão e Franca channel on WhatsApp In addition to its historical importance, the Palace was also known for the stories that passed through generations and are still told today. The building is also surrounded by reports of supernatural apparitions. From the richness of coffee to the Quarteirão Paulista The hotel was built from 1924 to 1926 in front of Praça XV de Novembro, at the time the address of the city's main families and political figures. The founder, Adalberto Roxo, was a coffee merchant and was also active in local politics. The book "Palace Hotel: Café, Poder e Política em Ribeirão Preto", by journalist José Manuel Lourenço, highlights that the history of the building is directly linked to the relations between the coffee elite, the political groups that commanded the city and the economic development of Ribeirão Preto during the First Republic. Palace Hotel in Ribeirão Preto (SP) Felipe Gonçalves de Souza Announced at the time as a three-story hotel with around 100 rooms, the building drew attention for its size and luxury. It had a party room, restaurant, bar, areas for receiving travelers and the first electric elevator in Ribeirão Preto. Shortly after the inauguration, in 1927, the property was acquired by Companhia Cervejaria Paulista, chaired by businessman João Alves de Meira Júnior. The purchase helped in the construction of a project that would give rise to the Quarteirão Paulista, an architectural complex that would later bring together the Palace Hotel, the Meira Júnior Building and Theatro Pedro II. Secret passages and ghost stories One of the most famous stories talks about a supposed secret passage that would connect the building to Theatro Pedro II. Although there is no evidence to confirm the information, legend says that the access would have been used by members of the Ribeirão Preto elite, who left their wives at the shows held at the theater and used the ticket to get to the hotel and have meetings with other women. Other stories report the presence of a young woman who allegedly committed suicide in the building and a former employee was killed on the spot, but continued walking through the hotel's corridors and facilities. The cases were never proven, but they helped transform the Palace into one of the most mysterious places in the city. Discover the urban legends of the Palace Cultural Center in Ribeirão Preto (SP) Felipe Gonçalves de Souza Abandonment and rebirth After decades of operation, the Palace Hotel closed its activities in 1992 and remained closed for years, facing a long period of deterioration. Later, the property underwent an extensive restoration process that ended on September 30, 2011. Once restored, it gained a new function and was transformed into the Palace Cultural Center. Today, the space hosts exhibitions, workshops, artistic presentations and cultural training activities. According to administration data, around 1. 600 students participate weekly in the activities carried out on site. About to turn 100 years old, the old hotel continues to be one of the most important buildings in Ribeirão Preto. Palace Cultural Center, in Ribeirão Preto (SP) Matheus Moraes *Under the supervision of Flávia Santucci See more news from the region on g1 Ribeirão Preto e Franca VIDEOS: Everything about Ribeirão Preto, Franca and the region