THE PRAÇA DA SAUDADE AS A FEELING: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PROCESSES OF (DE)CENTRALIZATION IN THE CITY OF MANAUS

Abstract

Praça 5 de Setembro, popularly known as Praça da Saudade, is located in the Historic Center of the City of Manaus, between Epaminondas, Ramos Ferreira, Ferreira Pena and Simão Bolívar streets, and is the object and focus of this research. This public space, which dates back to 1895, has a long and complex history, as it has been the scene of various uses and appropriations. The objective of this work will be, therefore, to constitute these different uses and appropriations in a concise chronological line, highlighting the period between 1975 and 2007, which marked the nostalgic memory of its regulars. We also understand how the processes of centralization (SOUSA, 2021) and decentralization (LEFEBVRE, 1999) of the City of Manaus affected and could still influence this space. Through a bibliographic methodology and the historical-critical-dialectic method, we organized this research into two sections. In the first one entitled: “History and its Appropriations”, in addition to presenting the narrative of this public space, we analyze comments about the experiences in this place, through the page “Manaus de Antigamente”, on the Facebook platform. In the second and last section entitled “Center and (De)Centralizations”, we seek to understand, together with the central objective, the polycentralities present in the City of Manaus and how they influence the search for leisure.