Os caminhos do Mercado. Um mapa desenhado do Mercado Central de Belo Horizonte

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the Central Market of Belo Horizonte as an unique urban space where memory, sociability, and collective identity intertwine and are updated daily. More than a supply center, the Market is a living territory of encounters and affections, a public space par excellence that reflects and preserves the Minas Gerais way of life. Taking the Market as its object and method of study, the research aims to understand the multiple dimensions that make up its experience - physical, social, and symbolic. The analytical journey starts from the broader context of the history and typologies of urban markets, situating the Central Market in the development of Belo Horizonte and analyzing its role in the formation of the city's public space. Next, the gaze moves closer to more intimate scales, investigating the configuration of the block, its streets and stores, daily practices, and the appropriation of space by merchants and visitors. Throughout the process, the act of walking - understood not as simple movement, but as a method of reading and recognition - allows layers of hidden meanings to be unveiled, while drawing, both in its free and technical forms, acts as an instrument of perception, synthesis, and representation of lived space. The result is the construction of a map of the "paths of the Market," which is not intended to be definitive or conclusive, but rather to express the overlapping of times and experiences that define it. It can be concluded that the Central Market is more than a physical space: it is a place endowed with a spirit that manifests itself in the persistence of social practices, in collective memory, and in the ability to articulate the concrete and the symbolic in a sensitive experience. With each step and each encounter, the Market reaffirms its role as the repository of urban identity and as the greatest symbol of the city of Belo Horizonte.