FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / O presente estudo analisa as diversas territorialidades que se constroem nas praÃas do Passeio PÃblico, do Ferreira e Josà de Alencar nos dias atuais, centrando a anÃlise no cotidiano dos diferentes atores sociais que ali desempenham suas atividades, delimitando assim seus territÃrios. As praÃas em estudo localizam-se na Ãrea central de Fortaleza, e constituem-se como os espaÃos mais dinÃmicos da cidade. Considerando o territÃrio como produto da apropriaÃÃo de um determinado segmento do espaÃo por um grupo social, verifica-se que relaÃÃes de controle, afetiva, ou de pertencimento sÃo ali estabelecidas. Desse modo, o trabalho foi norteado por algumas indagaÃÃes consideradas pertinentes ao estudo no sentido de compreender os processos de ordem econÃmica, polÃtica e cultural que ocorreram para que as praÃas perdessem suas tradicionais funÃÃes como local primordial de encontro, de lazer, de contemplaÃÃo e de sociabilidade. Identificou-se que o uso atual das praÃas difere muito daqueles dos sÃculos XIX e XX, perÃodo de glamour do centro, onde as praÃas se assemelhavam aos belos jardins europeus. Nessa Ãpoca, prevalenceu no embelezamento da cidade a influÃncia de estilos arquiteÃnicos de cidades europÃias, com a presenÃa de praÃas arborizadas, âquiosquesâ, edifÃcios elegantes, hotÃis, entre outros equipamentos, que convidavam a sociedade ao lazer e a sociabilidade. Cada praÃa com sua singularidade e peculiaridade, atraÃa a sociedade cuja freqÃÃncia a esses espaÃos era constante, devido à concentraÃÃo das funÃÃes residenciais, comerciais, de serviÃo e lazer, que proporcionavam uma grande convergÃncia das atividades na Ãrea central. Nesse contexto, Fortaleza encontrava-se organizada de forma monocÃntrica em torno dessa zona, com um poder agregador das principais atividades econÃmicas e culturais da cidade. A partir de 1970, iniciou-se a descentralizaÃÃo dessas atividades da Ãrea central associada à fragmentaÃÃo dos espaÃos e a incorporaÃÃo do processo de metropolizaÃÃo. Essas mudanÃas trouxeram novas formas e funÃÃes aos diferentes espaÃos do Centro. Por exemplo, as praÃas antes voltadas à animaÃÃo e ao lazer, adquiriram novas funcionalidades conforme as mutaÃÃes urbanas e os interesses administrativos e de gestÃo da cidade. Assim, ao longo da histÃria dessas praÃas as transformaÃÃes sociourbanas moldaram-nas para que as mesmas assumissem, principalmente, a funÃÃo de um lugar de passagem, devido ao ritmo acelerado incorporado no cotidiano dos citadinos. De modo que, hoje, a apropriaÃÃo dos espaÃos pÃblicos da cidade se efetiva de forma diferente dos tempos passados e se manifesta principalmente com a presenÃa das classes populares que objetivando melhores condiÃÃes de vida territorializam a maioria das praÃas da Ãrea central. NÃo obstante a existÃncia de outras Ãreas de lazer eleitas pela sociedade fora do perÃmetro central, alguns logradouros do centro ainda mantem a funÃÃo de congregaÃÃo social no contexto da metrÃpole. / The present study analyses the several territorialities which are built in the squares such as Passeio PÃblico, PraÃa do Ferreira and PraÃa Josà de Alencar, in the present days, centering the analysis in the dail y life of the diferrent social actors, who fulfill their activity in those places delimiting, this way, their territory. The public squares which are being studied are situated in the central area of Fortaleza and are constituted as the most dynamic areas of the city. Considering the territoty as a product of appropriation of a certain segment of the area by a social group, it is ascertained that relation of control, emotional or of belonging are established in sush territoty. Thus, this research was guided by some inquiries which were considered part of the study in the sense of understanding the processes of economical, political as well as cultural order which took place in a way that the public squares woul d lose their traditional functions as a prime place of meetings, leisures, contemplation and of sociability. It was concluded that the present-days use of the public aquares differs a great deal from that of the 19th and 20th centuries, the period of glamour of the city center when the public squares were similar to the beautiful European gardens. There was, in those times, the prevalence, in the beauty of the city, of the influence of the architectonic styles of European cities with the public squares all planted with trees in, with kiosks, elegant buildings, hotels, among other things which would invite the society to leisure activities and sociability. Each square with its own uniqueness and peculiari ty would attract the society whose frequency to such areas was common due to the concentration of different functions such as: residential, commercial, leisure and of service, which would offer a great convergence of activities in the central area. In surch context Fortaleza was organized in a monocentric way around this area, with the aggregating power of the main economical and cultural activities of the city. Departing from 1970, the decentralization of such activities of the central area, associated to the fragmentation of spaces and the incorporation of the metropolization process was begun. Such changes brought new forms and fuctions to the different spaces in the downtown area. For instance, the public squares which were once devoted to leisure and animation activities acquired new functionalities according to urban mutations and to the administrative interests of the city management. Thus, throughout the history of such public squares, the socio-urban changes shaped them in a way that they would assume, mainly, the function of a passageway place due to the hasty rhythm incorporated to the daily life of the city dwellers. Therefore, nowadays, the appropriati on of public areas in the city is made differently from old days and it is made known specially with the presence of popular classes, which, aiming better conditions of life, territorializes most of the public squares in the central area. Notwithstanding the existence of other leisure areas elected by the society, out of central perimeter, some public parks of the city center still maintain the functions of social congregation in the context of the metropolis.