Among destruction, discoveries and invention: The restoration of Sé de Olinda’s church as part of the Reconstructions of Northeast Historic Cities’ Integrated Program

Abstract

This article aims to analyse ideas, stakeholders and institutions involved on the Matriz de S. Salvador Church's restoration, better known as Sé de Olinda's Church, in Pernambuco state, between 1974 and 1983 as part of the Reconstructions of Northeast Historic Cities' Integrated Program (PCH). The XVI century Church was reconstructed after it was burned down during the Dutch invasion to the Pernambuco State on the XVII Century. During the XX century, the Sé de Olinda's Church went through important architectural interventions, initially taking neo gothic inspirations and later neo baroque. By the time of the PCH restoration, the face of the church was that of the neo baroque aesthetic. These two interventions were completely ignored during the 1974 restoration process as they were considered without architectural value and therefore not worth of conservation. The restoration process took into account archaeologic's findings, but also destroyed part of the fabric of the building and added new elements trying to bring the church to a possible XVI Century aesthetic. It was a process where theory and restoration practice, history and architecture design were part of an intrinsic net.