Centro de São Luís, de cidade-ilha ao patrimonial e turístico: manutenção das formas e alternância dos usos ao longo do tempo

Abstract

The present research intends to collaborate with the execution of the seizure of dynamics of urban spaces in the Brazilian Northeast, giving notoriety to the case of São Luís (MA), situated in an insular formation in the coastal zone maranhense. The island of Maranhão is remarkable because of its strategic geographical position, an aspect that was exploited by European peoples during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Thus, the city is founded and develops over the centuries mentioned, having as one of its main heritages of the said period, the safeguarding of the architectural set of colonial origin that characterizes what was agree to call of Historical Center of São Luís. Thus, we undertake an analysis of contemporary São Luís (21st century) from its center, since until a certain time, the territorial limits of the city were those that we currently recognize with its central region. In addition, it is in the ludovicense center that the city is founded and where the first urban centers of the island arise. Therefore, to undertake an analysis on the urban space of ludovicense, automatically reverbs in the inclusion of its center as a main element during this exercise. Thus, our research objective is based on the discussion of the main uses and functions present in the ludovicense center at the beginning of the 21st century. To achieve the aforementioned desire, we used an approach provided by Historical Urban Geography, in order to seek subsidies in past periods that help us better interpret the contemporary center. Among these, we highlight the analysis of studies already carried out, plans, projects, public policies and execution of other actions, such as the construction of structural apparatus that allowed the city to expand beyond the territorial dimensions of the culminating in the constitution of a ludovicense territory that no longer concerns only the geographical limits of the current center. Thus, the central region becomes part of the urban space of São Luís, acquires new uses and functions, among these, we highlight the fact that the center is conceived as a tourist and leisure environment, a distinct reality of centuries predecessors. On the other hand, it was also found that other functionalities already existing in other periods, are still present in the central region, among these we highlight the commercial; administrative and housing. In other words, these functions compete with others that concern another logic, another time, thus implying the emergence of a new socio-spatial configuration to the ludovician center.