Memorial do Rio Grande do Sul

The idea of creating an institution that emphasized the gaucho culture emerged between 1995 and 1996, being implemented through a partnership between federal and state governments in September 1996. It was agreed at that time that the headquarters of the post office for almost a century, would house a place of dissemination of culture and memory Rio Grande. The agreement for transfer of the building also led the creation of a Postal Museum and Philatelic Agency.

The restoration project was previously approved by the National Trust (Institute of National Historical and Artistic Heritage), since the building was listed in 1980.

The old building of Posts and Telegraphs was totally revamped to house the institution. It emerged, therefore, a center for information and dissemination of state history, bringing together objects, maps, prints, photographs, books, iconographic images and important statements about the key events occurring in Rio Grande do Sul The rich collection is exposed through a modern design museographic, thus allowing integration with the public and easy to understand the content.

Restoration

The Post Office building, built between 1910 and 1914, left the drawing board of German architect Theo Wiederspahn, responsible for several buildings in Porto Alegre earlier this century.

Fallen, by the National Trust in 1980, the property has, since 1998, a meticulous restoration process, which sought to preserve its original features and tailor it to the installation of the Memorial.

The building was fully recovered and their facades have received special treatment. Internally, its spaces were adapted to new functions museographic, with all necessary infrastructure such as air conditioning of spaces for the Historical Archives of Rio Grande do Sul and the rooms of the Treasury.

His two internal courtyards, formerly occupied by booths of strength and generators, were recovered, winning skylights and lifts.

The building of Posts and Telegraphs

The construction of the building that housed the Post and Telegraph was launched on 9.30.1910 and completed on 12.31.1913. The project was entrusted to the engineer and architect Rodolfo Ahrons Theodor Wiederspahn. The architectural style is marked by a tendency to form abarrocadas.

Ahrons's firm was chosen because it is solid and represents the German community, which had been constituted in important economic segment of society gaucho. The Government positivist thought important to approach it, because it represented a strong political ally.

The decoration of the building was the responsibility of the sculpture workshop of John Vincent Friederichs that, thereafter, was projected on the community. Engineer Rodolfo Ahrons wanted the sculptures privilege one language more familiar to the public, reporting it to their daily lives.

The main group of sculptures intended to highlight the services provided by mail by joining the continents. Three figures make up this group: a male figure at the center (Atlante) bent by the weight of the world that carries on the back, sides of a woman and a teenager also committed to lifting the globe. The female figure represents Europe and adolescent America.

Another two groups of sculptures on the facade reveal a familiar line: the mother who embraces her son with one arm and the other holding a chart (showing the pain of separation of immigrants and domestic function of women as the basis of the family).

The idea of showing the sculptures Immigrants' expectations pleased the positivist government. There was in this period, a policy of encouraging immigration and their integration into the colonial economy.

Address: Rua Sete de Setembro, 1020 - Praça da Alfândega - Centro Histórico - Porto Alegre - RS
homepage: www.memorial.rs.gov.br  

E-mail: memorial.rs@uol.com.br
Phone number: 51-3224.7210

Hours of Operation: Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10am to 6pm

Map of Memorial do Rio Grande do Sul