Da Catedral à Câmara do Comércio: o Centro Histórico do Rio Grande. RS (1755-1941).

Abstract

The aim of the work was to analyze the urbanization of the Historical Center of Rio Grande, between 1755 and 1941. The research followed the history comparative method and intercalated categories of urban analysis. The work was divided into three chapters. The first presented the categories of analysis and the influences suffered by Brazilian colonial cities. The second chapter has exposed the data about the Historical Center, discussing place and urban design. The third dealt with public spaces, infrastructure and urban services, block, lot and building. There was made comparisons between local urban solutions and those implanted in other national centers, as well and their foreign influences. Urbanization of the Historic Centre has been divided into three periods. The initial, between 1755 and 1808, showed that the path between the Parish Church of St. Peter (cathedral) and Fort Jesus-Mary-Joseph established the first street called Right Street, with little urban growth by the end of the eighteenth century. The second period, between 1809 and 1858 exposed a more developed urban area and practically set in 1829. This period layout was characterized as irregular and orthogonal, influenced by the Portuguese legislation, and adapted to its place. The third period, between 1859 and 1941, showed improvements as the paving of streets, water distribution and sewage collection networks, lighting and electric trams. The maps showed changes in the expansion of cross alleys and grinding blocks. In 1941, the construction of the Chamber of Commerce (1941) held the last empty space surrounding the Plaza Xavier Ferreira. The influences and similarities with the Portuguese cities were found in the wide streets parallel to the water, cut by the cross alleys, the elongated blocks, the lots forefronts facing the main streets and buildings with the same width of the lots forefronts. These influences were brought by Portuguese architects and military engineers, in theoretical as well as practical way.