The use of iron in architecture was intensified during the second half of the XVIII century in
Europe, and its influence spread over many countries in growth, such as Brazil. Belém (PA)
was one of the cites that received the larger amount of building and ornaments imported,
especially from England, France, Belgium and Portugal, during the XIX e XX centuries.
Currently, Belém holds the largest number of iron architecture heritage remnants in the
country. Despite of having great importance in construction techniques, many of these
buildings were disassembled and remain on the wait for restoration processes. Also, studies
about theses constructions only focus on historical and visual discussion, with no
understanding of construction materials, causing empirical restoration processes. The
knowledge about these materials is important to the detailed study of historical metal alloys,
and different fabrication techniques, as well as weathering action, aiming future restoration
processes with scientific bases. The main objective of this research is to understand the
historical metals, their diversity in iron architecture and fabrication processes, and also
weathering action in iron buildings and ornaments from the XIX and XX centuries in Belém.
Thus, the following specific objectives were established: a) physical, chemical and
mineralogical characterization of alloys and pathologies; b) identification of different kinds of
alloys, in order understand the production types; c) determination of metallurgy evolution
imported to the Amazon. The materials chosen for this research came from three different
sites, due to their representativeness and diversity of pieces and origin: Mercado de Ferro do
Ver-o-Peso building; the former chalet from the State’s Press; and the ornaments from tombs
and mausoleums of the Soledade Cemetery. The methods used were Scanning Electron
Microscopy (SEM) for physical characterization and punctual chemical analysis; and X-Ray
Diffractometry (XRD) for mineralogical analysis. The results were presented in three
scientific papers indicating: 1) iron alloys mostly composed by ferrite; 2) textural variations
exhibiting four types for the building group: nodular cast iron, gray cast iron type E, wrought
iron and gray cast iron type B; 3) three classification of gray cast iron for the ornamental
group of diverse origins, among A, B and D; 4) corrosion as main weathering action, and
products constituted by goethite and hematite; 4) remnant paint coats, formed by metallic
zinc, and its products of alteration represented by zincite and hidrozincite. Through the results of this research it was possible to indicate the evolution of processes in iron architecture
production, and enrich this research area with scientific information, as subside for future
restorative processes.
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