As soon as the capital of Rio Grande do Sul was transferred from Viamão to Porto Alegre in 1773, Praça da Matriz became the political, cultural and social center of the city and the state, as the regional power, the Igreja Matriz, was installed there. and residential mansions of potentates of the time. In addition to being a place of coexistence, the square gave place to religious festivities and civic celebrations. It is still an expressive place for political demonstrations, one of the most striking being the Campaign for Legality in 1961.