Train station area gardens: the creation and evolution of Dr. José Esteves Square, in Lavras-MG

Abstract

Studying the origins and transformations of a public square throughout time is extremely important, since it motivates its preservation and the consecration of its history. Therefore, the objective of this study was to carry out historic-cultural and landscape analyses of Dr. José Esteves Square and its whereabouts, built near a train station located in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. This research focused on the period between 1721 (settlement) and 2014. Dr. José Esteves Square was created to ornate and supports the arrival of passengers at the train station of Lavras. The way this public square was built is somewhat different from most public squares in Brazil, which are normally constructed around a church. Lack of maintenance, due to privatization, and the abandonment of train station facilities, made the gardens and areas around Dr. José Esteves Square lose their importance and the aesthetic characteristics they once had.