Solar da Beira, Neoclassical public building in Cidade Velha, Belém, Brazil
Solar da Beira is a neoclassical public exhibition building in the Ver-o-Peso complex, in the Cidade Velha neighborhood of Belém, on the shore of Guajará Bay beside the Ver-o-Peso Market. Its facade has hand-painted tiles, restored metal structures and solid brick walls. The ground floor holds a Círio de Nazaré exhibition and a product fair; the upper floor displays canvases and ceramic objects.
There is no record of when Solar da Beira was built; it is thought to date from the 19th century, shortly after the Ver-o-Peso iron market of 1901. In the early 20th century it housed the Recebedoria de Rendas, the municipal revenue office. In 1985, under mayor Almir Gabriel, it was first remodelled into a restaurant and cultural space, and its facade was renovated in 1998 under Edmilson Rodrigues.
The ground floor displays exhibitions about Círio de Nazaré, a major religious celebration that shapes the city's identity. The upper levels show paintings and ceramic collections that reflect the region's artistic heritage.
The building sits on Avenida Marechal Hermes, on the Guajará Bay shore beside the Mercado de Ferro, in the Cidade Velha. The 2019–2020 renovation added accessibility and air conditioning; the ground floor holds the Círio de Nazaré exhibition and a product fair, the upper floor the canvases and ceramics.
Excavations during renovation uncovered Empire period coins, vintage cutlery, and numerous artifacts from the 20th century buried beneath the building. These discoveries reveal layers of history hidden within the foundations.
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