Prior to its creation in 1870, Dona Isabel Colony was known as “Região da Cruzinha”, due to a wooden cross, nailed over a grave. There are hypotheses that the buried was:

1. a tropeiro, since the region was a transit point for loading products between Vacaria and Montenegro or Porto Alegre;

2. a colonial plot plotter;

3. a German immigrant who was part of a road-drawing company.

The first hypothesis refers to tropeirismo in the state. Tropeirismo was characterized as an economic activity that took place from the end of the 17th century to the beginning of the 20th century, through which products were transported from one region to another of the country, or between bordering countries, by means of troops from animal freighters guided by men.

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​The other two hypotheses concern professionals sent by the Empire, from 1850 onwards, who measured and marked out lots and roads in order to prepare them for the arrival of immigrants.   This process began with the implementation of the Land Law, in the same year, succeeded by decrees from the Province of São Pedro do Rio Grande do Sul, which deliberated the sale of land to fill vacant spaces in the national territory. Thus, it was up to the Empire to demarcate the unoccupied places and what their purposes would be (public use, foundation of settlements, opening of roads).

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​As for the location of the cross, it was originally found on a land, at the time waste, under a thorn bush, in front of lot no. 15, owned by Mateus Valduga, would currently correspond to   region of Dr. Walter Galassi Square, Adelina Ruga Building and Banrisul Bank.

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Under the management of the intendant João Baptista Pianca, Largo da Cruzinha was inaugurated in 1926, a space next to the Santo Antônio Church where a concrete cross was symbolically installed. Later, under the administration of Mayor Sadi Fialho Fagundes, between 1969 and 1973, she was transferred to the front of the church. In September 2020, it was relocated to the Church side.

Sources:

BISHOP, Thamires. Monuments: important stories of Bento Gonçalves portrayed in the city. Weekly. Bento Gonçalves, p. 1-2. out. 2020. Available at: <https://jornalsemanario.com.br/monumentos-historias-importantes-de-bento-goncalves-retratadas-na-cidade/> Accessed on: 20 jan. 2021.

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BRAZIL. Law 601, of September 18, 1850. Provides for the vacant lands of the Empire. Available at: <www.planalto.gov.br/CCIVIL/Leis/L0601-1850.htm>.

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CAPRARA, Bernadette Schiavo; LUCHESE, Terciane Angela. From Dona Isabel Colony to the Municipality of Bento Gonçalves 1875 to 1930 - Bento Gonçalves: VISOGRAF; Porto Alegre: CORAG - Companhia Riograndense de Artes Gráficas, 2005.

CAXIAS DO SUL. Interpretive Dossier: Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Caravaggio. Caxias do Sul, 2016. [Cultural Property of Intangible Nature of Caxias do Sul].

LORENZONI, Julius. Memories of an Italian immigrant. Translation by Armida Lorenzoni Parreira, preface and notes by Italic Marcon. Porto Alegre: Sulina, 1975.

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