Ouro Preto Attractions

N.S. do Rosário dos Pretos

Rua São José and Rua Getúlio Vargas lead to Largo do Rosário, with the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos (Our Lady of the Rosary of the Blacks; 1785). The ground-plan consists of two intersecting ellipses forming the nave and the choir.

Just beside the Nossa Senhora da Conceição church is the Aleijadinho Museum (furniture of the colonial period, sculpture, articles in precious metals, vestments, etc.).

On Rua Padre Faria street is the Fountain of Padre Faria (1761), Aleijadinho's earliest work in soapstone.

House of Tomás

In Rua Cláudio Manuel (formerly Rua do Ouvidor), to the north of Largo de Coimbra, are the house of the poet Tomás Antônio Gonzaga and the Chafariz dos Passos, a fountain of 1752.

Two fine 18th century monuments are the Marília Fountain and the Marília Bridge (1758) on Largo de Dirceu.

Museum of Mineralogy

The Museum of Mineralogy, also in Praça Tiradentes, is an annexe to the School of Mining, which is housed in the former Governor's Palace. It was designed in 1741 by the military architect José Fernandes Pinto de Alpoim, who had previously worked on the monastery of São Bento in Rio de Janeiro. Manuel Francisco Lisboa, Aleijadinho's father, was also involved in the construction of the building.

The 18th century Casa do Noviciado, now occupied by the Museu de Arte Sacra, possesses a number of works of sculpture by Francisco Xavier de Brito.

N.S. das Mercàs e Misericórdia

To the north of Praça Tiradentes, in Rua Padre Rolim, is the church of Nossa Senhora das Mercàs e Misericórdia (1773).

N.S. das Mercàs e Perdões

In Rua das Mercàs, to the south of Largo de Coimbra and the church of São Francisco, is the church of Nossa Senhora das Mercàs e Perdões (1740-73), which contains two paintings by Antônio Martins da Silveira (1760/61).

Santa Efigênia dos Pretos

To the west of the Chapel of Padre Faria is Largo Santa Efigênia, in which is the church of Santa Efigênia dos Pretos (1733-45). The woodcarving in this church is by Francisco Xavier de Brito and other exponents of Minas Baroque.

Close by Nossa Senhora do Pilar, in Rua da Glória, is the chapel of the Senhor do Bonfim (1776).

From Largo da Matriz do Pilar Rua Benedito Valadares, Rua Cláudio de Lima and Rua Alvarenga lead north-west to the Cabeças district, in which is the church of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos (1785), also known as São Miguel e Almas. In a niche on the façade is a soapstone statue of St Michael by Aleijadinho (1778). The church also has paintings of the Last Supper and the Crucifixion by Ataíde. In the square in front of the church is the Chafariz do Alto das Cabeças (1763).

Chafariz dos Contos

Nearby, in Praça Reinaldo Alves de Brito, is the Chafariz dos Contos, a fountain of 1760. In the colonial period very few houses had their own water supply, and the public fountains played an important part in everyday life, serving also as a meeting-place and communications center.

The entrance to Chico Rei's Mine (1702) is in the Palácio Velho, to the north of Praça Antônio Dias. Chico Rei is said to have been the king of an African tribe who was brought to Brazil as a slave and contrived to earn enough money to buy his own freedom and that of members of his tribe.

Notable among the town's many 18th century buildings are the Casa da Baronesa (now occupied by SPHAN) and the Casa de D. Manuel de Portugal e Castro (privately owned) on Praça Tiradentes and the Casa dos Inconfidentes in Rua dos Inconfidentes.

Adjoining N.S. do Pilar is the Museu da Prata (Silver Museum), with objects of gold and silver and 18th century furniture.

In Praças Antônio Dias and Tiradentes and Ruas São José, Getúlio Vargas and Antônio de Albuquerque are fourteen Stations of the Cross. Also in Rua Antônio de Albuquerque is the Chafariz da Glória (1752).

São Francisco de Paula

In Rua Padre Rolim is the Largo da Rodoviária, with the Estação Rodoviária (bus station); to the south of this is the church of São Francisco de Paula, built between 1804 and 1904.

On Rua Brigadeiro Musqueira is the Municipal Theatre, formerly the Opera House.

Cachoeira das Andorinhas

The Cachoeira das Andorinhas (6km/4mi north, near the source of the Rio das Velhas) is reached by way of Queimada Hill and the São Sebastião district. Some of the water tumbles down into a cave far below. Another attraction is the 25m/80ft high Pedra do Jacaré, from which there are panoramic views of the whole surrounding area.

N.S. de Nazaré

22km/13.5mi west of the town center in the outlying district of Cachoeira do Campo is the aisleless early 18th century church of Nossa Senhora de Nazaré. The plain façade is in sharp contrast to the elaborate carving in the choir. The ceiling painting in the choir (1755) is the oldest in the whole of Minas Gerais.

Falcão

13km/8mi south of Ouro Preto on the road to Saramenha is Falcão, a little township of craft workers, with several waterfalls and remains of the old royal road.

Pico do Itacolomi

15km/9.3mi (12km/7.5mi of it on foot) south of Ouro Preto, in the Itacolomi nature park, is the Pico do Itacolomi (1752m/5748ft), on which is the source of the little Rio Ouro Preto. It can be reached from Avenida do Contorno, on the south side of the town.

São Bartolomeu

In São Bartolomeu, 25km/15.5mi from Ouro Preto, is the 18th century church of São Bartolomeu.

By steam train

to Mariana

On alternative weekends the old steam engine "Maria-Fumaça" ("Smoky Mary") runs between Ouro Preto and Mariana (see entry), 17km/10.5mi east. The trip through the Serra do Espinhaço takes something over an hour.