Alfândega Square (Portuguese: Praça da Alfândega) is a public, historic, and tourist attraction in the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
Located in the Historic Center of the city, the square is protected by the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) and the Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (IPHAE). It is surrounded by important buildings, some of them equally historic and old, such as the Ado Malagoli Museum of Art of Rio Grande do Sul (MARGS), the Memorial of Rio Grande do Sul, Santander Cultural, and the Commerce Club of Porto Alegre. Other buildings include the Banrisul and Caixa Econômica Federal headquarters and Rua da Praia Shopping Mall.
Traditionally, since 1855, the Porto Alegre Book Fair has been held at Alfândega Square, attracting thousands of visitors not only for the vast selection of books on offer, but also for the music, theater, and dance performances.
History
Quitanda Square
The origins of the Alfândega Square date back to the end of the 18th century, when the area where it is located today served as the city's old river port. On July 2, 1783, the councilors of Porto Alegre ordered the construction of a stone pier by the Guaíba Lake to facilitate the arrival of passengers and goods.
In 1804, the then governor of the Captaincy of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul, Admiral Paulo Gama (future 1st Baron of Bagé), ordered the expansion of the anchorage with the construction of a pier, which was considered a remarkable work for its dimensions, with 24 pillars of stone entering the waterway, allowing the landing of sumacas (small two-masted boats) and large yachts. At that time, there was a square in front of the mentioned pier, next to the first Customs building of the city. Traders and greengrocers used to gather in this square, with their stalls arranged in a disorderly way, which is why the place was called Praça da Quintada (English: Quitanda Square) at the time.
In 1820, when it came to constructing a larger building for the Customs, the merchants were compelled to move to the then Paraíso Square, today known as XV de Novembro Square. The group resisted, and finally the west side of the square was allowed to be occupied for commerce. At the same time, Silvestre de Sousa Teles, based on a concession he had received, claimed ownership of part of the area that bordered the Customs building, which compromised the authorities' plans to expand the area. Silvestre de Sousa had his concession revoked, and the public administration ordered that the access to the pier and the Customs should be cleared of street vendors and temporary constructions. By this time, the name must have changed to Alfândega Square.
However, the efforts of the authorities were insufficient to keep the site free and clear, and the square suffered from the constant deposit of garbage. In response, the councilors ordered the city inspector that "with all urgency and above all, he must take care to remove the filth that was next to the Customs building, and that no more dumping continues to take place there, making sure that the place is always clean. The situation, however, only really improved when, between 1856 and 1858, a stone wall with stairs was erected by the river, on the alignment that today corresponds to Sete de Setembro Street.
Senador Florêncio Square
In 1866, the Companhia Hidráulica Porto-Alegrense began the tree planting of the Alfândega Square, initially with only nine trees. Later, the surrounding residents were allowed to adorn and garden the square, following the guidance of public engineering. The Companhia also installed one of the first fountains in the city, known as Chafariz da Imperatriz (English: Fountain of the Empress), which was inaugurated by D. Pedro II in October 1865; on top of this cast iron fountain from France, there were the figures of three chubby boys with their backs to each other. Like other fountains that were brought to Porto Alegre during the Belle Époque, the Chafariz da Imperatriz disappeared without a trace. A few years later, there were already seats on the sidewalk and a kiosk. On March 14, 1883, the name was changed to Senador Florêncio Square, in honor of Florêncio Carlos de Abreu e Silva.