Goias Attractions

Among the oldest buildings in the town are the Igreja do Carmo (1756) and the churches of São Francisco de Paula (1761) and Santa Bárbara (1780), São Francisco de Paula has a bell-tower faced with wood. There are fine ceiling paintings in the choir chapel, which has a figure of the saint in Baroque style, the work of the Goiás sculptor Veiga Vale. The nave has ceiling paintings of 1869 showing the influence of 18th century models.

The church of Nossa Senhora da Abadia (1790) has ceiling paintings by an unknown artist. On the high altar is a figure of the Virgin by Veiga Vale.

The church of Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte, on Praça Castelo Branco, was built in 1779 on the site of an earlier chapel. It now houses the Museum of Sacred Art, which contains 36 of the 200 works of sculpture ascribed to Veiga Vale.

Museu das BandeirasThe Museu das Bandeiras occupies the former Câmara e Cadeia Pública (Town Hall and Gaol) on Praça Brasil Caiado, built in 1755, in the reign of José I. The original walls, 1m/40in. thick, have been preserved. The exhibits in the Museum include instruments of torture dating from the period of slavery, church furnishings, pictures, silver and documents and artifacts of the Carajá Indians.

Chafariz da CaldaIn the square is the Chafariz da Calda, a soapstone fountain of 1778.

House of Cora CoralinaThis late 18th century house was occupied by the Goiás-born poetess Cora Coralina. It contains photographs, furniture, prizes and videos illustrating her life and work.

Baroque buildingsGoiás has preserved several other 18th century buildings, for example the Palácio do Conde dos Arcos (1756; period furniture), now a cultural center, and the Quartel do 20, an infantry barracks of 1747.

EventsThe traditional festival of the Folia do Zé Pereira, which has fallen into oblivion in some parts of Brazil, is still celebrated here in the month before Carnival.The pre-Easter ceremonies are introduced in Goiás Velho by the Procession of the Meeting of the Images of the Mater Dolorosa and Christ's Passion two weeks before Holy Week.The Procession of the Mater Dolorosa (Procissão de Nossa Senhora das Dores) is held a week before Holy Week, the Palm Sunday Procession (Procissão dos Ramos) on the preceding Sunday.One of the most important events in Holy Week, on the Wednesday evening, is the Procissão do Fogaréu. All the lights in the town are extinguished, and a procession of cowled figures with burning torches makes its way through the streets round the Igreja da Boa Morte (church of the Good Death). These farricocos represent the soldiers of the Praetorian Guard who arrested Christ.On the following days there are the Processions of the Deposition and the Entombment, and on Easter Saturday the Burning of Judas.The ceremonies are concluded by the Festival of the Holy Ghost, 40 days after Easter.

Balneário MunicipalIn the Parque Balneário, in the center of the town, is the Balneário Municipal (Municipal Spa), with hot springs at temperatures between 37°C/99°F and 42°C/109°F.

There are a couple of attractions worth visiting within a short distance of Caldas Novas.