Bridge in SP was the scene of battles in the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 A suspension bridge over the Paranapanema River, on the border between Chavantes, in the interior of São Paulo, and Ribeirão Claro, in Paraná, bears the marks of one of the most important episodes in the history of São Paulo. The Alves de Lima Suspension Bridge was the scene of battles during the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932. This Thursday (9) is a public holiday in the state of São Paulo in memory of the conflict. See below for more details about the date. ? Join the g1 Bauru and Marília channel on WhatsApp Suspension bridge in Chavantes (SP) was strategic during the battles of the Constitutionalist Revolution Filipe Zampoli/ TV TEM The Constitutionalist Revolution was the uprising in São Paulo against the government of Getúlio Vargas, in 1932. São Paulo residents demanded a Constitution and protested against the intervention imposed by the federal government after the end of the so-called "coffee with milk policy", a period in which São Paulo and Minas Gerais alternated control of the Presidency of the Republic. READ ALSO: HOLIDAY: July 9th is a public holiday in SP; understand the reason and history of the date HISTORY: Understand why the city is a symbol of the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 QUIZ: Test your knowledge about the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 The conflict lasted around three months and left more than 600 constitutionalists dead in the battles, according to official estimates. "The bridge borders Paraná and the soldiers from São Paulo were close to it to prevent the entry of the soldiers from Rio Grande do Sul. So, the bridge is a historical reference for our revolution, as well as the stone on which the soldiers wrote sentences about the movement", said professor and researcher Maria Helena Cadamuro to TV TEM. MMDC Movement Disclosure Chavantes as a front of the revolution Due to its geographical position on the banks of the Paranapanema River, on the border with Paraná, Chavantes became one of the fronts of the revolution. Troops from São Paulo arrived in the city via the Sorocabana Railway tracks and settled in the municipality to try to contain the advance of federalist troops coming from the south. The only school in the city at the time was transformed into a military barracks. The soldiers positioned themselves on the banks of the river, alert for the arrival of enemy troops. Bridge is a historical symbol and also a tourist attraction in Chavantes (SP) Filipe Zampoli/ TV TEM The marks of this period can still be seen in parts of the city, including on a stone on the banks of the Paranapanema, on which constitutionalist soldiers engraved phrases from the movement with bayonets. Today, the place is known as "Rock of the Revolution" and is located on the São Paulo bank of the Paranapanema River, close to the Chavantes Hydroelectric Power Plant dam. Check out the transcript of the message below. 'Stone of the Revolution' on the banks of the Paranapanema River in Chavantes (SP) Reproduction/Historical Museum of Chavantes "VIVA S. PAULO VIVA O BRAZIL. ON THE EDGE OF THE PARANAPANEMA RIVER WHERE IN THE FAR THE NOISES OF MACHINE GUNTS WERE HEARD, WHICH IN THE THREAD OF THE GRENADES IMITATED THE SCREAM OF THE IPIRANGA: INDEPENDENCE OR DEATH! THIS IS HOW THE SOLDIERS OF THE CONSTITUTION WILL OVERTHROW, WITH WEAPONS IN HANDS, THE NEFAUSTUS DICTATORSHIP TO THE GROUND. 22-09-1932" The bridge and dynamite attacks Inaugurated in 1920, the Ponte Pênsil Alves de Lima was used to transport coffee production from Paraná via the São Paulo railways. During the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932, southern troops used the crossing. Therefore, the bridge's support towers were bombed with dynamite to hinder the advance of federalist troops in towards São Paulo. "This bridge, as it is the border of the states of São Paulo and Paraná, was the target of the revolutions. In 1932, soldiers from São Paulo stayed close to it to prevent the southerners from entering. Even so, they entered and reached Chavantes", highlights the researcher. Chavantes suspension bridge (SP) was important for the Revolution of 32 Reproduction/TV TEM With the structure compromised by the attacks, the bridge was rebuilt in 1935. Decades later, in 1985, it was listed by the Council for the Defense of Historical, Archaeological, Artistic and Tourist Heritage (Condephaat) as a historical and architectural heritage of the state of São Paulo. In 2001, Paraná also listed it for the historical and architectural value it represents for both states. Fire and recovery In November 2020, a fire destroyed part of the bridge's wooden structure. The fire started on the Paraná side. meters in length and 82 meters in suspended span, it had been restored in 2011 by Companhia Brasileira de Alumínio (CBA), which also built, alongside, a concrete bridge for vehicle traffic. After restoration work, the Alves de Lima Suspension Bridge was reopened for visitors in October 2023. Fire destroys century-old suspension bridge over the Paranapanema River between Chavantes (SP) and Ribeirão Claro (PR) TV TEM The revolution and the July 9th holiday July 9th has been a state holiday in São Paulo since 1997, under Law No. 9,497, sanctioned by then governor Mário Covas. The date marks the beginning of the constitutionalist uprising, in 1932. The movement gained strength after the death of four protesters, in May of that year (Martins, Miragaia, Drausio and Camargo), during a demonstration at the headquarters of the Partido Popular Paulista. the MMDC movement, which played a central role in mobilizing for armed struggle. MMDC Movement Disclosure/MMDC The revolution lost strength because the expected support from other states did not materialize, and the weapons ordered abroad did not arrive in time in October 1932, but the legacy of the movement was the pressure that contributed to the promulgation of the 1934 Constitution.