The City and the River, the River and the City. Spaces for the public

Abstract

Juiz de Fora, located in Minas Gerais, and Sena Madureira, located in Acre, are two cities whose geographies, functions and positions are quite different in the Brazilian space. A link can be found, though: the relevance of the river in the historical and geographical configuration of the urban space, even though part of these two cities urban space by the river does not constitute a sociable place or a public use area. Taking the historicity between the river and the city into consideration, this article sustains that forms of public use of riverside urban areas through outdoor leisure activities means social construction of places for sociability among inhabitants, visitors, tourists, migrants, and natives in the public space of the city. It is intended to highlight the collective construction of the riverside public space as a place for socialization and citizenship exercise.