Do protagonismo ao esquecimento : a estação férrea de Caxias do Sul como patrimônio cultural e agente de transformação (1910-2025)

Abstract

The present work, entitled "FROM PROMINENCE TO OBLIVION: THE CAXIAS DO SUL RAILWAY STATION AS CULTURAL HERITAGE AND TRANSFORMATION AGENT (1910-2025)", addresses the issue of the fading collective memory surrounding the Caxias do Sul railway station square, a site of significant historical, social, and economic importance that today hosts different forms of appropriation, with new uses in its functional requalification. It is observed that, despite its relevance to the municipality's development, the site is not widely recognized by the urban social fabric and by the actors who transit through the space as a "place of memory". This study aims to revitalize the collective memory of the station, highlighting its importance as industrial heritage from the period surrounding its inauguration, which occurred in 1910, through subsequent transformations until 2025. The specific objectives aim to promote the dissemination of memories linked to this space, contextualizing the social, political, and economic aspects that preceded its inauguration and that substantiate its importance, in addition to presenting a proposal to make the historical narratives and collective memory of the Railway Station accessible as heritage. The theoretical contribution for industrial heritage will use as reference the research of Beatriz Mugayar Kuhl and the Nizhny Tagil Charter. The methodology adopted is documentary research, guided by Michel de Certeau's historiographical operation, which serves as a theoretical guide for data collection and analysis. This method involves examining previous academic works, analyzing newspapers from the requalification period and the years prior to the inauguration, as well as documents available in the João Spadari Adami Municipal Historical Archive, the Division of Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage - DIPPACH, and the Train Museum in São Leopoldo. Additionally, interviews were conducted with users of the space, passersby, and workers, in order to investigate the current level of knowledge and recognition of the railway station by the various social groups that interact with the space. The expectation of this work is to enrich the historiography of the region by providing a careful look at the Caxias do Sul Railway Station, highlighting its relevance not only as architectural heritage but also as a space with the potential to reinvigorate collective memory. The results of this documentary research and interviews indicate a marked disconnection between the historical value of the railway station and its current perception by the population, highlighting the urgent need for effective strategies for the preservation and promotion of collective memory associated with the site. Thus, initiatives are proposed for the recognition and valorization of this heritage in the social and cultural context of Caxias do Sul, aiming to reinforce its importance as an element of identity and belonging for the citizens of Caxias and, consequently, favor its recognition as a place of memory by the various segments of the local population. One of the initiatives will address heritage education in the context of the station, through the proposition of a digital interaction device aimed at providing information in an accessible way, directed to the public that frequents, transits, visits, and uses that space. [resumo fornecido pelo autor]