Located on the banks of the
Guaíba River, Andradas Street emerged in 1772 along with the city of Porto Alegre and was one of the main points of urban occupation. The Chapel of Saint Francis of the Wounds, the city's first church, the Navy arsenals and the Royal Warehouses were built on the site. The central section, where
Alfândega Square is located today, used to contain the unloading quay and a concentration of merchants. In 1799, it was paved by order of the ombudsman Lourenço José Vieira Souto. Initially named
Rua da Graça, it started at Gasômetro and stretched to Ouvidor Street, now General Câmara. In 1843, when the streets were platted and unified, it became
Rua da Praia. Successive landfills along the waterfront moved the street away from the coast. By the middle of the 20th century, it had become a place for wholesalers, elegant shops and a popular meeting place for civic events, attracting numerous patisseries, cinemas and restaurants. The stretch between
Doutor Flores and
Marechal Floriano streets was listed as a landmark site by municipal decree in 1989. It has a roadbed seven meters long with sidewalks of around 2.5 meters. == Literature ==