The Metal Bridge Euclides da Cunha: Between the Past and the Present

Interventions in built heritage assets are part of the guiding aspects of urban rehabilitation processes. However, interventions are sometimes performed without considering the characteristics and history of the sites, even though, beyond homogenizing and exhibiting the landscape, they affect the very essence of heritage. A perfect example of this is the recent restoration carried out on the Metal Bridge, the main symbol of the history and identity of São Jose do Rio Pardo (SP), and subject of this work. It was rebuilt in 1901 by Euclides of Cunha, engineer and writer, at the same time as he was writing one of the classics of Brazilian literature, Os Sertões (The Barrens). This research attempts to understand, through the exhibition of heritage sites, the historical values, monuments, and identity that the Metal Bridge Euclides da Cunha maintained after it was restored in 2014. The analysis reveals that it has become a light show that reflects contemporary marketing values. The problem identified is that there is some disconnectedness between historical principles and the local reality.