▁was ▁raised ▁to ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁town . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁April ▁ 1 5 4 6 , ▁a ▁reg al ▁char ter ▁issued ▁by ▁King ▁D . ▁John ▁III ▁elev ated ▁the ▁growing ▁settlement ▁to ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁city , ▁this , ▁ow ing ▁to ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁V ila ▁Fran ca ▁do ▁Cam po , ▁following ▁an ▁earth qu ake ▁and ▁lands lide ▁that ▁ob liter ated ▁the ▁regional ▁capital ▁over night ▁in ▁ 1 5 2 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁primitive ▁building ▁that ▁served ▁as ▁municipal ▁hall ▁were ▁likely ▁located ▁just ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁par och ial ▁church ▁of ▁São ▁Sebast ião . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁current ▁building ▁was ▁undert aken . ▁An ▁ins cription ▁over ▁the ▁coat - of - ar ms ▁( 1 7 2 4 ) ▁of ▁the ▁bell ▁tower ▁port ico ▁indicates ▁its ▁construction . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁literally ▁in ▁ru ins , ▁with ▁a ▁pla que ▁located ▁on ▁site ▁indicating ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁going ▁to ▁be ▁demol ished . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁C â m ara ▁Municipal , ▁Alberto ▁O live ira , ▁ordered ▁the ▁buildings ▁recuper ation . ▁Phot ograph s ▁from ▁this ▁period ▁show ▁a ▁building ▁with ▁windows ▁and ▁var andas ▁fl ank ing ▁the ▁door ▁on ▁the ▁second ▁floor ▁and ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁sc aff old ing