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Draft:Chalé da Praça XV

Coordinates: 30°1′42″S 51°13′39″W / 30.02833°S 51.22750°W / -30.02833; -51.22750
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Chalé da Praça XV
View from the entrance of the Chalé da Praça XV in 2013.
Map
General information
Architectural styleEclecticism
LocationPorto Alegre,  Rio Grande do Sul,  Brazil
Coordinates30°1′42″S 51°13′39″W / 30.02833°S 51.22750°W / -30.02833; -51.22750
InauguratedNovember 22, 1885
Website
https://www.chaledapracaxv.com.br/

Chalé da Praça XV is one of Porto Alegre's most traditional bars and restaurants. It is located in the city's historic center, XV de Novembro Square [pt], near the Public Market and Town Hall.

History

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The first Chalet opened on November 22, 1885, as an ice cream kiosk. It was renovated in 1909 and 1911, and again in 1971 after a fire. It was listed as part of the Municipal Historical Patrimony while retaining its function as a restaurant.[1] In 1999, along with the restoration of the square, the building was refurbished, and a Senac [pt] school restaurant specializing in gaucho cuisine was installed.[2]

On January 11, 2011, the chalet and its square were reopened by the City Hall after its structure was restored and expanded with an annex building in contemporary style, for R$ 1.5 million.[3][4][5] The chalet has a long tradition in Porto Alegre and remains a popular meeting and leisure spot in the city center.[2] Mauro Toralles shared a bit about its history:[6]

[...] many people, rich in creativity, passed by its chairs. Poems were born from late-afternoon conversations, enlivened by a cold beer. The bourgeoisie gave way to artists and intellectuals, who took over the chalet and kept it lively from the 1940s until the end of the 1950s. Everything could be seen from there: the Public Market, Rua da Bragança, then Marechal Floriano, the streetcar station, the fashions, and the hustle and bustle that dictated the rhythm of Porto Alegre in the early 20th century. “Writer, poet, academic, and folklorist Augusto Meyer was one of the distinguished regulars. But it was the great Mario Quintana who wrote this about what went on in this two-story fortress: "The chalet was part of us. I remember Bilo, with his perpendicular profile of a wise stork, his long beak not plunged into the neck of the gomil of the fable, not exactly into the mug of beer, which was indeed what was happening, but into the artesian well of himself".[6]

Features

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Built with removable steel, wood, and glass elements, its design follows a radiocentric layout. The style is eclectic, reflecting a preference for the picturesque character of the period in which it was constructed. However, there are distinctly Art Nouveau elements in the decoration, particularly in the metal railing that surrounds the outdoor area and encloses the terrace. The metal pillars and decorations, along with the modular wood and glass panels that make up the façade, bear witness to the technological innovations that occurred at the turn of the 20th century and influenced architectural styles.[7]

The small building has two octagonal floors, as well as a basement and mezzanine, totaling 195.23 m² of floor space. The first floor consists of the restaurant's main hall, an adjoining kitchen and support room, and a small mezzanine. The floor features hydraulic tiles with geometric motifs. The upper floor, accessible via a movable metal staircase, contains a smaller room, also octagonal, with a roof decorated with lambrequins [pt] and surrounded by a terrace with railings serving as a parapet.[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Chalé da Praça XV de Novembro". Prefeitura de Porto Alegre. Archived from the original on 2011-08-09. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  2. ^ a b "Porto Alegre brinda o novo Chalé" [Porto Alegre toasts the new Chalet] (PDF). Correio do Povo. 1999-12-03. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-08-20. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  3. ^ "Novo Chalé será entregue à população hoje" [New chalet to be handed over today]. Jornal do Comércio. 2011-01-24. Archived from the original on 2025-01-20. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  4. ^ "Começa a ampliação do Chalé da Praça XV em Porto Alegre" [Expansion of the Praça XV Chalet in Porto Alegre begins]. Zero Hora. 2010-09-07. Archived from the original on 2025-01-20. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  5. ^ Simon, Gilberto (2011-01-25). "Casa & CIA: Chalé da Praça XV". PortoImagem. Archived from the original on 2017-08-20. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  6. ^ a b Simon, Gilberto (2011-01-21). "Memória Restaurada: Chalé renasce com ampliação" [Memory restored: Chalet reborn with extension]. PortoImagem. Archived from the original on 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2025-01-20.
  7. ^ a b Secretaria Municipal de Cultura. Chalé da Praça XV (PDF) (in Portuguese). Porto Alegre: Prefeitura Municipal de Porto Alegre. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2024-08-05.