Dante Alighieri Square

Dante Alighieri Square is the oldest and most traditional public square in Caxias do Sul — the civic and symbolic heart of a city that takes its Italian origins seriously. The square was established in the early years of the settlement and named after the medieval poet as an act of cultural pride by the Veneto immigrants who had crossed the Atlantic to start again in the serra gaúcha. A bronze statue of Dante has stood here since 1921.

The square is surrounded by some of the city's older buildings and remains a gathering point for public events and daily life. The surrounding streets have the mix of churches, commercial buildings, and cultural institutions typical of a Brazilian city centre that grew rapidly through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A good starting point for a walk through the historic centre.

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Dante Alighieri Square was created in 1884, nine years after the first Italian settlers arrived in the region. Naming the central square after Italy's greatest poet was a deliberate statement by a community that was determined to maintain its cultural identity far from home. The statue of Dante himself was added in 1921, a gift from the Italian government, and has presided over the square for over a century.

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