Alleys, streets and squares: the urban space of the village of Tijuco, 1735-1775

ABSTRACT

This article aims at proposing an outline of the urban space of the old village of Tijuco between 1735 and 1784 through a varied set of textual sources, as well as maps prepared in 1775 and 1784. The chosen period covers the first records of names of the thoroughfare where the stores or sales of the village of Tijuco were located, and the list of public places that accompanies the “small plan of the village Tijuco” drawn up in 1775. The biggest challenge to be faced is undoubtedly the variation of the names for the same public places. Based on the elements exposed here, we seek to show that in the 1730s commercial establishments were concentrated mainly on the streets of Quitanda, Bonfim and Carmo, but also in the current Conselheiro Mata square, streets of Contrato and Rosário, and in Macau. Basically, the public places located between the church of Santo Antônio and the building of the former Intendancy of Diamonds (located where the Archdiocesan Miter of Diamantina is today). This seems to have been the axis around which new routes were built. It is obviously a first effort, and further research will undoubtedly be able to refine this proposal.

KEYWORDS:
Diamantina; Village of Tijuco; Urban space; 18th century