Matriz
Square
It is located in the city “heart” and is also known as the “square
of the power” because there are located the decisional headquarters of
the executive, legislative
and judiciary. Soon, there will be also the Office of
the District Attorneys, which will occupy a historical building that is being
restored. Finally, the impressive Catholic Cathedral
built in pink granite and with one of the biggest domes in the world is also
located around the square.
While passing
by Porto Alegre, in July 1820, August Saint Hilaire has written about the
splendid view that one could have from there. In fact, Matriz Square landscape
is one of the unique and most captivating locations in the world.
The first Azorean couples that came to Porto Alegre, in 1752, settled
down in the area that nowadays is the "Gasômetro end". From there,
the village has grown through the low land, along the river, by the delineation
that nowadays is Andradas Street (popularly known as "rua da praia").
On those times, the churches used to be built at the height and, thus, between
1772 and 1773, on the site where today we have the Cathedral, it was built
the Matriz Church, in honor of Our Lady Mother of God. Due to this, the front
area started to be called as Matriz Square. On those times (end of the XIX and
beginning of the XX century), the Fogos
do Espírito Santo festivals started to take place there, attracting the
community to the square. Between 1846 and 1848, the square was improved with
pavements on the east and west sides. In 1858, on its northern part, it was
inaugurated São Pedro Theater. In 1865, it was named Dom Pedro II Square.
Between 1883 and 1885, it was urbanized, and received a garden, trees and paved
paths. In 1914, it was inaugurated the monument in honor to Júlio
de Castilhos. From 1909 to 1921, Palácio
Piratini was built; and, in 1921, the Cathedral construction was started.
Since the Republic was proclaimed, its official name is Marechal Deodoro
Square, a name that is not known by the portoalegrenses,
who prefer the former "Matriz Square".
(Source: Atlas Ambiental de Porto Alegre, by Rualdo Menegat et al.,
published by UFRGS and Porto Alegre City
Hall, in 1998)
See, next, some images of the square in distinct moments, with the
blooming of ipês, jacarandas and guapuruvus:
August 20th, 2001: 1, 2,
3,
4,
5