FRUIÇÃO E PERMANÊNCIA EM CENTROS HISTÓRICOS TOMBADOS:

UM OLHAR SOBRE PARATY/RJ

Abstract

Paraty (Rio de Janeiro) has, over the past few decades, become an exemplary case of the ambiguities inherent in preservation: a celebrated heritage site, yet a city lived under intense tourism pressures. In this article, we discuss how the heritage designation of the Historic Center—listed by IPHAN and, since 2019, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List—coexists with less visible barriers: rising prices, reconfiguration of land use, and the distancing of local cultural practices from the central circuit. The analysis combines a critical literature review (Bourdieu, Fanon, Hall, Said, Canclini) with fieldwork conducted between July and September 2023 (57 visitor questionnaires and direct observation at different times and days). The data reveal a predominantly high-income public, limited interaction with caiçara, quilombola, and Guarani communities, and generally positive evaluations of the architectural ensemble, though accompanied by doubts about “authenticity” and belonging. Rather than proposing easy dichotomies, the text argues that expanding access requires adjustments in governance: integrating tourism with everyday life, recognizing the role of communities in producing cultural value, and supporting community-based tourism experiences.