Ouro Preto
Historic Town Of Ouro Preto, UNESCO World Heritage Site Inscribed 1980; Capital Of The Gold Rush Captaincy Of Minas Gerais · Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Ouro Preto was the capital of Brazil's eighteenth-century gold rush, when the hills of Minas Gerais produced more gold than anywhere on earth, and it is the finest colonial town in the country. It was one of the first places in Brazil listed by UNESCO, in 1980. The town climbs over steep hills, its cobbled streets running between whitewashed houses with coloured window frames and more than a dozen baroque churches, several covered inside in gold. The work of Aleijadinho, the great sculptor and architect of Brazilian baroque, is everywhere, above all in the Church of São Francisco de Assis. The town was also where the Inconfidência Mineira, the first plot for independence, was hatched, and Praça Tiradentes at its heart is named for its executed leader. Old gold mines can be visited, and the soapstone carvers' market sells the local craft. Ouro Preto is a university town, lively at night, with an enormous student Carnival. The hills are brutally steep; wear good shoes. Mariana, the older town next door, is an easy addition.
Praça Tiradentes, Centro, Ouro Preto, MG, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
A town, always open, but its churches and museums keep short, fixed daytime hours and that is where visits go wrong. Most churches and museums close on Mondays, so a Monday day trip from Belo Horizonte finds locked doors across town. Many churches also close for a break in the middle of the day, so start early and do the gilded interiors in the morning. Each church charges its own small entry, collected at the door, usually in cash. Masses and weddings take priority, and tourists may be turned away during services. Mine tours run by day and stop earlier than the churches. Holy Week brings processions over flower carpets laid overnight and huge crowds, and Carnival fills the town with students and noise; both need bookings months ahead. Heavy summer rain can close hillside streets after landslides - confirm conditions in the wet season.