Meat Market in Belém

The Meat Market and its history

The history of the Meat Market is old, dating back to 1867 when it was built in brickwork. The Municipal Market of Belém is a square between Rua November 16 and Boulevard Castilho França. Due to the intense commercial movement that taxed the newly opened Iron Market, or Fish Market, across the street, from 1901, local authorities felt the need to promote structural and sanitation improvements in the old building of the Municipal Market.

The works were entrusted to the engineer Francisco Bolonha, who, build a second floor with rooms for stocking products over old masonry building, installed in its courtyard a beautiful architectural ensemble of iron imported from Scotland, smelting Walter Macfarlane & Co., composed of four large pavilions, a small cottage and a structure that primarily served to support the water tank and which became, after disabled, a magnificent overlook with winding staircase. The inauguration of the new premises of the Municipal Market was held in December 17, 1908 and is intended mainly to marketing of meat came to be called, with time, the Meat Market.

This impressive example of architecture of the iron in Brazil is a must stop for anyone visiting Belém and demand to know a little of its history. It is noteworthy that the building was recently restored by the federal government.

See: Era do ferro