Introducing Ouro Prêto
Of all the exquisite colonial towns scattered around Minas Gerais, Ouro Prêto is the jewel in the crown. Significant historically as a center of gold mining and government, and as the stage for Brazil’s first independence movement, the city remains vital in modern times as a center for education and the arts, and as one of Brazil’s three most visited tourist destinations.
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Built at the feet of the Serra do Espinhaço range, Ouro Prêto’s colonial center is larger, and has steeper topography, than any other historical town in Minas. The narrow, crooked streets of the upper and lower towns tangle together and in places are too rough and precipitous for vehicles. Navigating the vertiginous cobblestoned slopes on foot can be exhausting, but the views of 23 churches spread out across the hilly panorama are spectacular. The city is a showcase of outstanding Mineiro art and architecture, including some of Aleijadinho’s finest works.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
