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On the banks of the Piracicaba River, the remains of the Engenho Central dominate the urban landscape, materializing memories and defining identities. It is the main remnant in São Paulo of the project to implement the central sugar mill system in Brazil and was built on the site where the parish of Santo Antonio de Piracicaba was founded on August 1, 1767, by settler Antonio Corrêa Barbosa. Its construction was authorized by Imperial Decree No. 8,089, of May 7, 1881, whose concession belonged to Baron Estevão Ribeiro de Souza Rezende. It began its activities in 1883, when the assembly was completed by the engineer-constructor Dr. André Patureau. In 1899, it was acquired by the French company Societé dês Sucreries Brésiliennes and, during the 20th century, it adapted to the “era of sugar mills”. It belonged to UBASA (Usinas Brasileiras de Açúcar S.A) and was deactivated in 1974. After a long expropriation process, it became a public asset of Piracicaba. Currently, the structures and spaces of the former Engenho Central are a park, and are used by the population for various cultural and leisure activities. The “Erotídes de Campos” Municipal Theater and the International Humor Hall were installed there, and in the future, three buildings will house the Sugar Cane Museum.