RAILWAY HERITAGE IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CULTURAL IDENTITY IN MINAS GERAIS LANDSCAPES

Abstract

This article aims to reflect on the preservation and enhancement of railway memory in the regions of Zona da Mata and Campo das Vertentes of the state of Minas Gerais.The article considers the notion that the landscape is form and feeling in an attempt to understand the importance that the train played in shaping the landscapes of Minas Gerais, giving them uniqueness. Its remarkable presence is highlighted, even today, in the daily lives of its inhabitants and in their imagination, contributing to the shaping of local identities. Thus, this article aims to expose the link between the railway heritage and cultural landscapes, as well as the ties developed by residents with the railway over time, highlighting the remainder of this heritage in the municipalities, which leads us to reflect on the preservation railway heritage vis-à-vis future generations.This article is based on documentation and testimonials collected by the Memória Trilho extension program. This program, promoted by the research and extension group Laboratory of Cultural Patrimony (LAPA), linked to the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, aims to enhance rail heritage and memory, seeking to identify, register and disseminate the material and immaterial heritage of routes of the old RFFSA SR-3 in six municipalities in the regions mentioned above.