Influência italiana no interior do Maranhão no século XX: a construção da Igreja Matriz de Presidente Dutra e seu papel no desenvolvimento da cidade

Abstract

In addition to other imperatives such as defense, coffee and rubber, a large part of brazilian cities have twinned around a church. This phenomenon is clearly seen in Presidente Dutra, Maranhão, city 347 km from the capital. The Church of São Sebastião was built by two Italian priests, and so has a distinctive architecture that, even though uncharacterized throughout renovations, still retains rich traces of the evolved Lombard. The city began to develop from the church, and today, with 76 years and 47,567 inhabitants, it is a large trading post and support for several surrounding cities. The “Matriz” Church, as it is also known, is still the main landmark of the city in architecture, grandeur and faith, besides being the largest cultural heritage of the city. Therefore, their preservation is necessary to serve as a starting point for the creations of the present.