Mercados públicos em Belém (1940-1943): arquitetura, história e funcionalidade

Abstract

This work is included in the studies about commercial spaces, which seek to approach their impact on society’s changes and cities’ transformations. Several studies in this area approach the construction’s peak of public markets in the late nineteenth century in Europe and Brazil. This work analyzes three public markets built in the 1940s in Belém, from their relations of origin, development and permanence in time and space: the markets of Pedreira’s, Jurunas and Sta. Luzia. Qualitative and historical-interpretive research methods are used, through the study of use of its architecture, history, functionality and study of surroundings, from documentary material, crisscross information and interviews with their users. Evidences and indications about the origin's and development's periods of the markets was identified, that aid in the understanding of their meanings over time. It was found the state of degradation, underutilization or change of usage in some of these markets as well as the urgent need to work in a strategic plan for the management of such traditional public spaces in the social, cultural and economical life of the city.