Ruas, Casas e Sobrados da Cidade Histórica: entre ruínas e embelezamentos, os antigos e os novos usos

Resum

The research “The street in the historic city: historical geography, quotidian and espaciality "analyzes the changes of the streets in the historical area of João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. This definition dosen’t match the demarcation of the "Historic Centre" but incorporates the streets and buildings formally considered by the Government as historic monuments. The city of João Pessoa is in the northeast of Brazil. It was for three centuries focused on the Upper Town and Lower Town. Major roads still are highlighted in the "Old Town". These roads were very important in the life of the city and still are visible in their morphology: winding streets, churches and big houses. Some were refurbished, another were modified to receive new uses, primarily commercial. We can find abandoned and vacant houses, many in ruins. We aim to introduce the changes and continuities of the forms and uses of the streets in the historic city of João Pessoa, area recently recognized as a national historic patrimony.