Piratini Palace
Seat of government.
Mateus Frota — CC BY-SA 4.0 · alwiethaus — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nikolof — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ana Paula Hirama — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Ana Paula Hirama — CC BY-SA 2.0
Praça da Matriz, officially Praça Marechal Deodoro, is the heart of Porto Alegre's historic centre and its oldest square, here since the city's earliest days and listed by the national heritage institute. It is first mentioned in 1753, took its name from the mother church, the «Matriz», built on its southern side, and appeared in 1772 on the first map of the small settlement. When the captaincy's capital moved to Porto Alegre, the square was chosen for the Governor's Palace, completed in 1789, and became the seat of power. Until 1840 it was little more than an eroded hill; after the Ragamuffin War, during which the city was besieged for ten years, important buildings rose around it. Today it is ringed by the Piratini Palace, seat of the state government, the Legislative Assembly, the Palace of Justice, the historic Theatro São Pedro and the cathedral, seen from outside. The square is tree-lined with paths and benches and a monument to the politician Júlio de Castilhos at its centre, and it makes a good start for a walk through the historic centre down to Praça da Alfândega and the lakefront. Visit by day.
Seat of government.
On the square.
Walk to the lake.
Praça Marechal Deodoro, Historic Centre, Porto Alegre
Piratini PalaceThe Piratini Palace is the seat of the Rio Grande do Sul state government, on Pr1 minute walk4.6
Viaduto Otávio RochaThe Otávio Rocha Viaduct is one of Porto Alegre's outstanding feats of engineeri4 minutes walk4.4
Rio Grande do Sul Museum of Art (MARGS)The Rio Grande do Sul Museum of Art, MARGS, holds the largest public collection 5 minutes walk4.8
Casa de Cultura Mario QuintanaThe Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana fills the former Hotel Majestic, the grandest5 minutes walk4.9
Porto Alegre Public MarketThe Public Market is Porto Alegre's oldest market and one of its best-loved meet8 minutes walk4.6The Piratini Palace, the Legislative Assembly, the Palace of Justice, the Theatro São Pedro and the cathedral.