After Rua Grande, the second largest road in the Cidade Alta was Santo Antônio Street, famous for its location and proximity to the fountain of the "drinking water river".

According to Luís da Câmara Cascudo, it was Mayor Omar O'Grady who put Natal on the path to the 20th century, by replacing the colonial embankment with cobblestone paving on Junqueira Aires Avenue.

As a reflection of this conjuncture, the Cidade Alta registered in 2021 the lowest number of active businesses in 10 years,[5] a situation that worsened in 2022 with the deactivation of anchor stores and the inertia of the public authorities, according to local merchants.

[8][9] The neighborhood also has the Santa Cruz da Bica landmark, an important monument built in 1599 with the intention of demarcating the urban limits of the city, as well as sedimenting the Catholic faith.

[10] In the 1980s, Cidade Alta was established as one of the main meeting places for the local population, when it brought together, besides the traditional department stores, movie theaters, snack bars, cafes, and other attractions for the families of Natal.