Ouro Preto
Ouro Preto is one of the best conserved historic cities of Brazil. This town was founded at the end of the 17th century. As a result of a gold rush, Vila Rica, as Ouro Preto was called in those days, was important enough to become capital of Minas Gerais by 1720. This city consists of many beautiful buildings from the 18th century. Because of its unique Baroque architecture in a style called Barroco Mineiro, Ouro Preto is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Today, Ouro Preto is a small town. Most of its monuments can be visited on foot. The majority of its churches and museums is closed on Mondays.
Getting there
Ouro Preto is located at a distance of 100 km from Belo Horizonte. It takes about 2 hours to travel from Belo Horizonte to Ouro Preto. The bus station, or the rodoviaria, is at walking distance from the Praça Tiradentes, Ouro Preto’s main square.
History
Soon after Ouro Preto was founded in 1698, it became the centre of the gold rush that opened up Minas Gerais and burgeoned its population. Ouro Preto grew fast. In 1711, Ouro Preto got city rights as “Vila Rica”. It became capital of Minas Gerais in 1720. Around 1750, during its heydays, it had around 110 000 inhabitants. At that time, it was twice as large as New York and 5 times as big as Rio de Janeiro.
Ouro Preto was also the location of the Inconfidência Mineira (the Conspiracy of Minas Gerais). This was a movement for the independence of Brazil. The most prominent leaders of this movement were arrested in 1789. Its most enthusiastic leader was José Joaquim da Silva Xavier. He was nicknamed Tiradentes (‘tooth puller’) because of his job as a dentist. He was executed in 1792. After the independence of Brazil he became more and more seen as a national hero. At nowadays, the central square of Ouro Preto is called “Praça Tiradentes” and there is a statue of Tiradentes in the middle of this square.
Most gold mines were depleted at the beginning of the 19th century but Ouro Preto remained capital of Minas Gerais until 1897. Ouro Preto was unable to grow because of its mountainous geography. In 1897, the newly built city of Belo Horizonte became capital of Minas Gerais. The number of inhabitants of Ouro Preto dropped.
Ouro Preto gained new attention in the 20th century. A number of buildings were restored under dictator Getúlio Vargas. Since the 1980-ties, tourism became more and more important for Ouro Preto and it contributes to the maintenance of its monuments.
Chico Rei
There are a number of legends about a king of an African tribe called Chico Rei who would have bought the freedom of other members of his tribe. According to the most common version of this legend, he was enslaved and had to work in one of the goldmines of Ouro Preto. He would have smuggled gold by hiding small quantities in his hair until he had enough to buy himself and his son free. After a while he would have become owner of a gold mine, using its profits to buy the freedom of other members of his tribe. It is also said that he has paid for the construction of the Igreja Santa Efigênia church.
Town
The centre of Ouro Preto is located around the Praça Tiradentes. There is a statue of Tiradentes in the middle of this square. The remarkable Museu da Inconfidência is located on its south side. Most important streets start on the Praça Tiradentes and the most important museums, hotels, shops and restaurants are at walking distance from this square.
Ouro Preto is built in the mountains and walking through the city means a lot of climbing and descending. Nevertheless, the city is small and most monuments can be reached on foot.
Attractions
Museu da Inconfidência
This museum keeps the memory of the Inconfidência Mineira alive. The Inconfidência Mineira was a movement for the independence of Brazil. The museum exhibits objects from the 18th century. It is located in the former town hall and prison of Vila Rica.
Venue: Praça Tiradentes
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 12.00 -18.00 hours
Casa dos Contos
This building is a beautiful example of the baroque of Minas Gerais. It is one of the best preserved buildings in Ouro Preto. It used to serve as Mint where coins were made from the gold that was found in this region. This building was also used for tax collection. The slave quarters in this building are impressive.
Venue: Rua São José, 12
Open: Sundays 10.00 - 16.00 hours, Mondays 14.00 - 18.00 hours and Tuesdays to Saturdays 10.00 - 18.00 hours.
Mina do Chico Rei
This goldmine is situated in the backyard of a restaurant in de centre of Ouro Preto. It can be visited daily with a guide.
The Mina da Passagem between Ouro Preto and Mariana (see Mariana) is more beautiful than the Mina do Chico Rei but it is a good alternative for tourists with a lack of time.
Venue: Rua Dom Silvério 108
Open: daily between 8.00 and 17.00 hours
Churches 
Ouro Preto counts a large number of churches from the 18th century. These are the most important ones:
Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Carmo
This church is situated near Ouro Preto’s central square Praça Tiradentes. This church was built between 1766 and 1772 and it was designed by Manuel Franscisco Lisboa. He died during its construction and his son Aleijadinho continued working on this church. This is the only baroque church in Minas that is decorated with azuleijos (tiles that are painted in blue). Azuleijos are typically Portuguese decoration materials. Perhaps these were used to make the Portuguese settlers feel at home in Ouro Preto.
Venue: Rua Brigadeiro Musqueira
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 9.00 - 10.45 hours and 12.00 - 16.45 hours.
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis
This church in Rococo style is considered to be one of the best masterpieces by Aleijadinho. He designed this church and made part of its sculptures. Another important artist who worked on this church was the painter Manuel da Costa Ataíde.
Venue: Largo de Coimbra
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays: 8:30 - 11:45 hours and 13:30 - 17:00 hours; closed on Mondays.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Pilar
This is one of the oldest churches in Ouro Preto. Its construction started in 1711, it was inaugurated in 1733 and it dates from the same period as the Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Antonio Dias. Although it doesn’t look special from the outside, the inside is fabulously decorated. Not less than 400 kg of gold and 400 kg of silver were used for the baroque decorations in this church. Francisco Xavier de Brito made the sculptures above the altar.
Venue: Praça Monsenhor Castilho Barbosa
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 9:00 -10:45 hours and 12:00 - 16:45 hours; closed on Mondays.
Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Antonio Dias
Because of its architecture and because of its beautiful interior, the Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição de Antonio Dias is one of the most important churches of Ouro Preto. This church was built between 1727 and 1746. It was built on the place where the founder of Ouro Preto, Antônio Dias, erected a chapel in 1699. The building was designed by and built under supervision of Manuel Francisco Lisboa, father of the great artist Aleijadinho.
Venue: Rua Bernardo Vasconcelos/Praça Antônio Dias
Open: Tuesdays to Saturdays 08:30 - 16:45 hours; Sundays 12:00 hours - 16:45 hours; closed on Mondays.
Igreja de São José
This church was built between 1752 and 1811. The Igreja de São José has only one tower on the front side. Above the entrance and around the tower is a balcony.
Venue: Rua Teixeira Amaral - Centro
Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário
This church dates from 1785. It has a special shape: seen from above, the contour of this church is formed by three ovals. There is only one other baroque church in Brazil that has such a shape, the Basílica de São Pedro dos Clérigos in the nearby village of Mariana.
Venue: Largo do Rosário
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 12:00 - 16:45 hours; closed on Mondays
Igreja do Bom Jesus do Matosinhos
The enormous sculptured gate of this church consists of soapstone. It is thought that this was made by Aleijadinho. The paintings in this church are associated with Manoel da Costa Ataíde.
Venue: Rua Alvarenga - Cabeças
Igreja São Francisco de Paula
This is the youngest church of Ouro Preto. It was designed by Francisco Machado da Cruz. The building of this church took nearly a century: from 1804 till 1898. The interior of this church is not very special, but this church offers a beautiful view on Ouro Preto. This church is important for Ouro Preto’s skyline because of its location.
Venue: Rua Padre Rolim
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays, 9:00 – 11.15 hours and 13:30 - 16:45 hours, closed on Mondays.
Capela do Padre Faria
This chapel dates from 1710. It is a fine example of the first buildings in Ouro Preto.
Venue: Rua Padre Faria
Igreja Santa Efigênia 
The Igreja Santa Efigênia is situated on the top of a hill east of the Praça Tiradentes. This church is dedicated to Saint Iphigene from Ethiopia. She is female, African and a saint in the Catholic Church. There are images of other African saints in this church. This is because this church was visited by slaves, former slaves and descendents of slaves. According to the legend, this church was built by Chico Rei.
Venue: Rua Santa Efigênia, at about 3 km from the Praça Tiradentes.
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