| Mariana - Historical Building - Casa de Câmara e Cadeia |
Casa de Câmara de Cadeia |
In 1711, the council chamber functioned in the house of one of the senators at
"Arraial Velho", next to a chapel named as “matriz”, which actually is Igreja do Rosário. In 1722, the chamber was transfered to a
house has as haunted at Ladeira São Gonçalo, where there was also a women prison.
Only in 1747, the government decided that the most proper place for the new
installation the Council Chamber was the old Army’s building, due to its land dimension and local security. The house was constructed with brick
walls and stoned rock, and has a gate with the Empire shield.
The flooring of the superior floor is practically the same as the original. In the
lower floor, there were three jails divided into categories distinguishing africans, caucasians and women. The cells had thick iron grates and
soapstone flooring. Besides being a prison, this floor operated as “senzala” (slave living quarters) and gold foundry, while in the superior
floor worked as City Court and City Hall.
Address: Praça Minas Gerais, 89 |
Presentation
