From the monument to ruin: Santo Antônio as a garden-neighborhood in Recife

ABSTRACT

The neighborhood of Santo Antônio, located on the island of Antônio Vaz, has a history illustrated by the monumentality of the architecture and the art of the gardens, between the colonial and the modern, composing with the landscape of the waters. The natural attributes gave birth to gardens and tree-lined streets distributed among the institutional and religious buildings, most of which give it special prominence. Between the 18th and 20th centuries it underwent urban transformations that caused major changes in its configuration and dynamics. Even today, despite being a historic site, there is a gradual process of deterioration resulting from the decay of uses that imply the abandonment of buildings and public spaces making it perish from monument to ruin. As a record of an era of glory, this article aims to demonstrate, with urban history, to what extent the various historical layers of this palimpsest, rooted in popular culture, allied to the significant garden spaces characterized Santo Antônio as a garden-neighborhood.

KEYWORDS:
Garden-neighborhood; Urban history; Public space