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Traces found during works in the Center of Salvador revealed parts of the old São João Theater, a building destroyed by fire in 1923 and linked to the cultural history of the Bahian capital for more than a century before disappearing from the urban landscape.
Workers who were working on the redevelopment of Praça Castro Alves, in the Center of Salvador, found under the sidewalk traces associated with the old São João Theater, a building destroyed by fire in 1923 and linked to more than a century of cultural life in the Bahian capital. The discovery exposed parts of the facade and staircases of the building, according to a report published by the Correio newspaper on January 11, 2020.
During the redevelopment works of Praça Castro Alves and Avenida Sete de Setembro, in a high-traffic area in Cidade Alta, the archaeology team responsible for monitoring the intervention identified a concrete structure in the excavations. In December 2019, Anota Bahia reported that the find would be explained by the Salvador City Hall and Iphan.
In the initial assessment, the remnants could correspond to the foundations of the old São João Theater, a hypothesis raised during the first archaeological works on site. Later, the investigation cited by Correio indicated that the structures were, in fact, the lower part of the facade and steps leading to the foyer, an area where the public circulated before performances.
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Ruins changed the interpretation of the work at Praça Castro Alves
Planned to reorganize and enhance one of the most well-known spots in Salvador, the urban intervention also gained a significant archaeological component. Under the area now used by pedestrians, residents, and tourists, material signs of a construction that disappeared from the landscape over a hundred years ago emerged.
In the heart of Cidade Alta, Praça Castro Alves occupies a central section near Rua Chile and Avenida Sete de Setembro, in a region associated with the historical formation of Salvador. Before receiving its current name, the space was known as Largo do Teatro, precisely because of the presence of São João at that point in the city.
The importance of the discovery goes beyond the location, because the traces were not limited to isolated blocks or fragments with no apparent function. The staircases and part of the facade help to understand how the old theater related to the square, indicating the public’s entrance path and the building’s position in the urban fabric.
São João Theater marked the cultural life of Salvador
Inaugurated in 1812, the São João Theater operated for more than 110 years in the location where Praça Castro Alves is today. The Correio describes the building as one of the main opera houses of the Empire and reports that it was destroyed by fires in 1923.
Throughout its history, the space hosted shows, recitals, musical performances, and events related to the public life of Salvador. The Correio report mentions the presence of names like Castro Alves and Carlos Gomes, as well as recording the theater’s role in the social life of the city.
The scale of the building also draws attention, cited as one of the points that help explain the impact of the archaeological find. According to the January 2020 report, historian Jaime Nascimento stated that São João was born as one of the largest theaters in the Americas, with an estimated capacity of about 2,000 people.
Compared to the main hall of the current Teatro Castro Alves, the old São João had a higher capacity, according to the observation attributed by the Correio to the same historian. This data reinforces the dimension of the vanished building and the importance it had for the artistic life of Salvador in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Facade and staircases indicate main access to the building
Based on the location of the structures found, the remains were associated with the old entrance of the theater and help reconstruct the path taken by the public. According to the description published by the Correio, people passed through the main door, climbed the steps, and reached the foyer before proceeding to the other internal spaces of the building.
This detail gives concreteness to the discovery because it allows imagining the flow of entry in a performance venue that was once central to Salvador. Instead of just a buried base, what emerged during the excavation was part of the path used by audiences, artists, and theater-goers.
During the work, an old fountain located in the area also entered discussions about the future of the square. According to the Correio, the Gregório de Matos Foundation was studying creating a space that would use the fountain’s structure as a stage for small performances.
The proposal mentioned by the publication aimed to adapt the location to integrate historical memory and contemporary public use. With this, the area could transform into a social environment, keeping visible part of the archaeological ensemble revealed by the requalification work.
Iphan monitored archaeological work in the square
The National Institute of Historical and Artistic Heritage participated in the process related to the find in Praça Castro Alves. In December 2019, Anota Bahia reported that the Salvador City Hall and Iphan would hold a press conference to explain the discovery during the works at the site.
At that stage, the archaeology team had found a structure in a 20-meter by 10-meter excavation, after archaeological prospecting and the use of ground-penetrating radar to identify materials in the soil. The possible relation to the São João Theater still depended on complementary studies at that initial moment.
In historical centers, archaeological monitoring in public works becomes crucial because these areas accumulate layers of occupation over time. Renovations in squares, avenues, and buildings can reveal buried structures that do not appear on the surface but remain connected to urban memory.
In the case of Praça Castro Alves, the discovery showed that part of the history of the old Teatro São João survived beneath the city’s floor. Even after the fire of 1923 and subsequent urban transformations, fragments of the building remained preserved underground.
Seen today as an area of urban circulation, a landscape of Cidade Alta, and a stage for public events, the square gained a new layer of interpretation with the discovery. Before establishing itself as one of Salvador’s symbolic landmarks, the location housed a theater that hosted artistic performances, social gatherings, and episodes of Bahian public life.
More than revealing an ancient structure, the revitalization brought back a material part of a cultural facility that helped shape Salvador’s history. The staircases and facade reappeared as remnants of a building whose physical presence had been erased from the landscape since the early 20th century.
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