t The 18th-century Baroque church of São Francisco de Assis situated in Praça Minas Garais, Mariana
g Minas Gerais g Contents
t The 18th-century Baroque church of São Francisco de Assis situated in Praça Minas Garais, Mariana
The oldest colonial town in Minas Gerais, Mariana, which was also a significant mining town, was the capital of the state in the first half of the 18th century.
The twin churches of São Francisco de Assis and Nossa Senhora do Carmo both date from the late 18th century. The church of São Francisco de Assis is decorated with ceiling paintings by Manuel da Costa Athayde; visitors should not miss the evocative scenes of the death of St. Francis.Although damaged by fire in 1999, Nossa Senhora do Carmo is still remarkable for its delicately balanced and very Portuguese exterior.
The city’s other famous church is the Basílica de Nossa Senhora da Assunção, which dates from 1760. Its exterior is modest, but the interior has some of the finest ceiling paintings by the 16th-century Portuguese artist, Manuel Rabello de Sousa.
The Museu Arquidiocesano de Arte Sacra preserves paintings by Athayde, objets d’art by Aleijadinho, and antique liturgical objects.
⌂ Rua Padre Gonçalves Lopes § (31) 3557 1216 # 8am–5pm Tue–Sun
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⌂ Rua Frei Durão § (31) 3557 2581 # 8:30am–noon, 1:30–5pm Tue–Sat, 8:30am–2pm Sun & public hols
⌂ Praça Minas Gerais # 9am–4pm daily
⌂ Praça Minas Gerais # 9am–5pm daily
Just northeast of Belo Horizonte, the state capital, this 131-sq-mile (338-sq-km) national park lies in high rugged country in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains. Cipó protects some pristine areas of cerrado as well as the watersheds of many of the tributaries of the São Francisco and the Doce rivers. Waterfalls, plants, rare animals, and birds are abundant, making this one of the most beautiful national parks in Minas Gerais. Here you can spot pumas, giant anteaters, ocelots, maned wolves, and howling monkeys. It is particularly lovely in May and June when the skies are invariably blue, the rivers full, and many of the numerous wildflowers are in bloom.
t Belo Horizonte’s striking Igreja de São Francisco
The capital city of Minas Gerais resembles a mini São Paulo, and is known worldwide for its visionary architecture. Its highlights are the buildings in the suburb of Pampulha, designed by the renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer, set in expansive gardens by Roberto Burle Marx (1909–94).
The most impressive is the Igreja de São Francisco de Assis. Built in 1943 as a series of parabolic arches in concrete, this church has a wonderful sense of light and space. On the outside walls are a series of azulejos (Portuguese blue tiles) painted by Brazil’s foremost Modernist artist Cândido Portinari (1903–62). Other city highlights include the dance hall Casa do Baile, and the twin sports stadia.
In the inner city, the Museu Mineiro preserves some fine colonial-era religious art, including a number of paintings attributed to artist Mestre Athayde (1762–1830).
t Eye-catching azulejos
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⌂ Av Otacilio Negrão de Lima 3000, Pampulha § (31) 3427 1644 # 8am–5pm Mon–Sat & hols, noon–5pm Sun
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⌂ Av João Pinheiro 342 § (31) 3269 1101 # 10am–7pm Tue–Fri, noon–7pm Sat & Sun
The Curral del Rey mountains encircling Belo Horizonte gave the city its name – “beautiful horizon.”
t The imposing exterior of the Matriz de Santo Antônio in Tiradentes
Like mining towns Ouro Preto and Mariana, Tiradentes became rich on gold, producing some of the most lavish Baroque church interiors and facades in all of Brazil. The imposing Matriz de Santo Antônio, built between 1710 and 1752, is one of the finest Baroque churches in Brazil, with wonderful wood carvings and gilt interiors.
The town’s multicolored Portuguese cottages and miniature Baroque churches flank the cobbled roads on the steep, low hills around the Rio Santo Antônio. Pretty horse-drawn carriages gather in Largo das Forras, the town’s main plaza, and a narrow-gauge steam train, Maria Fumaça, puffs its way to and from neighboring São João del Rei. A cultural center, Centro Cultural Yves Alves, hosts concerts, theatrical performances, films, and exhibitions.
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⌂ Rua da Camara § (32) 3355 1238 # 9:30am–5pm daily
⌂ Rua Direita 168 § (32) 3355 1604
experience Minas Gerais
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eat Glouton This fusion restaurant beautifully blends French and Brazilian cuisine. Try the cinnamon lamb with toasted farinha (manioc flour). ⌂ Rua Bárbara Heliodora 59, Belo Horizonte ∑ glouton.com.br \\\ Emporio Santo Antonio A family-run restaurant dishing up rustic Minas Gerais food and an all-you-can-eat buffet at weekends. ⌂ Rua Belica 133, Tiradentes § (32) 3355 2433 \\\ |
The largest of the historic towns of Minas Gerais, Sao João del Rei is a bustling place with well-preserved colonial buildings. The principal reason for visiting is to see the Igreja de São Francisco de Assis, whose unusual curved facade, turtle-back roof, and intricately carved medal overlook a square lined with towering palms. The square is in the shape of a lyre and at sundown the shadows of the palms form the instrument’s strings.
Inside a colonial-era mansion, the Museu Regional de São João del Rei has a range of antique furniture and sacred art.
⌂ Praça Frei Orlando § (32) 3371 1127 # 8am–5:30pm Sun–Fri
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⌂ Rua Marechal Deodoro 12 § (32) 3371 7663 # 9:30am–5:30pm Tue–Fri, 9am–1pm Sat & Sun
In the extensive Parque Nacional Serra da Canastra, bare granite peaks rise to almost 4,920 ft (1,500 m), and are surrounded by sparse cerrado forest sprinkled with boulders. Of the numerous waterfalls, set among stretches of lush, gallery forest, the most famed is the Cachoeira d’Anta. Here the river’s ice-cold waters form a series of pools before plunging off an escarpment. The park’s most famous trail, the Trilha Casca d’Anta, begins in front of the waterfall and offers a spectacular view out over the park.