This study analyzes the contribution of the historian, Ernesto Horacio Cruz, from the
Brazilian state of Pará, to the patrimonial preservation in the state. His name, amongst
various cultural associations in Pará, which he used to belong to, is linked to the
management of the former Public Library and Archive of the State of Pará (BAP) and the
Historical and Geographical Institute of Pará (IHGP), maintaining the preservationist
aspect, not evidenced throughout his life story, exposed in books, newspaper notes,
tributes, as well as in speeches of his colleagues. However, in the process of the listing of
heritage assets of the National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage of Pará
(IPHAN/PA), throughout the 40’s and 60’s, his name is constantly present, a fact which
motivated the incursion of the history of the preservation of heritage in Pará through his
presence.
The aim of his study is to understand the practices and set of actions taken by Ernesto
Cruz towards heritagization, during the initial decades of IPHAN’s operation in Brazil,
devising a historical study of heritage preservation policy in the State of Pará.
Consequently, the uniqueness of this study is to present the preservationist dimension of
Ernesto Cruz, an aspect not yet explored in the field of Amazonian historiography or in
architecture. From his role as delegate of the National Historical and Artistic Heritage
Service, Ernesto Cruz became a key figure in the process of institutionalizing historical
heritage in the state of Pará. The investigation is based on 20th century sources, such as
the historian’s intellectual output, which includes books, newspapers articles and
documents found in the IPHAN’s listings process, as well as sources that are linked to
themes that emerged from his material such as the transformation of the city of Belém,
its architecture and history.
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