The concept of values applied to Bicas’ heritage

Since the last decades of 20th Century, the preservation approach comes along with a larger
cultural definition worldwide. The values attributed to heritage go far beyond artistic and
historical, although they remain very important. Contemplating aspects such as significance,
the contemporary concept of cultural heritage explores a whole immaterial aspect. We do not
own the right to erase predecessors’ history, so even ethical values are applied. As a support
for the memory of a society, any asset should be treated as a treasure, but not a static one.
That’s why it is so important to preserve them. Our legacy can help us to built our future.

In order to explore and illustrate these values, two examples will be given. The first one,
Leopoldina’s Workers Villages in Bicas. They are not included as cultural heritage in the city,
but they should. Why? Through decades Leopoldina Railway’s workshops were the most
important income source for the city. The company provided housing programs for the
workers, and the eclectic residences were mainly installed around the locomotive’s tracks in
the beginning of last century. There was a whole logic behind it, though.

Three major typologies, adapted accordingly to the location and time, were built. They could
be single, twin or in block. The implantation and style were also different from each other. In
Governador Valadares Street (picture below), the typology was the single one. We can also
identify differences in size and decoration, but they were mainly spotted in the middle of the
lot. Its access and internal organization also followed the same pattern. An interesting curiosity
is: the closer the houses were from the railroad, the higher was the work status in the
Company.

As we saw, these houses have a documental value, since they are alive testimonies of this past
- not so much can be found about it in official documents. They reveal the workers day-by-day
in that time, building techniques, and so on. Their sons and grandsons nowadays live there:
use value scored. Furthermore, they have artistic and architectonic value: although they are
modest examples of eclectic style, they reveal the techniques and materials available by the
time of its construction. Finally, these residences led the development of entire neighborhoods
in the city and had a whole logic behind its implantation, next to the tracks. So obviously they
have an urban value, as long as social. This heritage could be better explored, mainly with
heritage education, but firstly with it is proper recognition.
 A second example will be given: Saint
Joseph Church. Although it has an
inventory recognizing it, not even in
the municipality level it is designated.
This is not admissible, since the
religious temple is maybe Bicas’
major reference for its habitants. It
dominates the landscape and it is the
biggest, most influent, and one of the
oldest catholic churches in the city.
Besides, it led the development of the
second stablishing basis of the city
center (the first was the railway
station). Additionally, it is located in
Saint Joseph Square which has a
vibrant day and nightlife.

In the beggining, Saint Joseph Church

was a small neoclassical chapel built
in the last decades of XIX century, but
as the city was getting importance, it
demanded expansion. The style has
also changed. As we can see in figure
2, its facade changed from
neoclassical to neobaroque. Then,
several additions were built, for example its frontal tower. The style once again was changed
to neogothic in the 1930’s, which is how we know it today. This not mentioning its interior,
which is still changing. As a palimpsest, its historical layers can be identified. It has
documental, architectural, urban, historical, artistic and social values.