Minas Gerais is a giant of 587.000 km², populated of 15 million inhabitants. Minas Gerais means "generous Mines". The seams, apparently inexhaustible, supplied the whole world out of gold, diamonds and iron ore.
Mineiros train almost people with share so much they are different from their compatriots. Far from extravagant Carioca or industrial Paulista. Mineiro is been obstinated, careful and not very inclined to show its emotions. Courageous and sparing, it moreover is equipped with a solid feel duty. To the 18 3rd century, the gold of Undermined Gerais invaded the whole world. Between 1700 and 1820, more than 1200 tons of invaluable metal were extracted from the mines, i.e. 80% of the production of gold for this period.
Ouro Prêto was in the center of the gold rush, the bandeirantes in the search of gold found a strange stone black, they made it analyze, they had found gold. Black colouring was the result of the oxidation of the iron contained in the ground. Vila Rica name of the small village of mountain where they found the stone became Ouro Prêto (black gold), and the gold rush began.
In 1760, the city did not count 80.000 inhabitants, it does not count any more but 40.000 of them. At present , Ouro Prêto presents the most beautiful collection of art and Baroque architecture of Brazil. The tortuous streets bordered of houses to the splendid balconies out of wooden or wrought iron, the old carved fountains, the innumerable museums and churches, allure start.
This is why, in 1981, UNESCO declared Ouro Prêto very whole "historic building".

Ouro Prêto, embedded in the mountains, could not increase, as it was decided as a new capital was to be born. Belo Horizonte was founded (in 1897) on a level similar to that of Washington: street with right angles. But the initial plan was very quickly exceeded and of many building built in an anarchistic way to face the requirements of urban development.
Compared with Ouro Prêto, this agitated metropolis of 3 million inhabitants comprises only few old monuments, but it is an excellent starting point to visit the historical cities of the surroundings.

In a shaded valley, to 23 km in the north of Belo Horizonte, another jewel of the Baroque art, the small colonial city of Sabará hides.
To the north of Belo Horizonte, on the road which carries out in Brasilia, a city extends that of aucuns regard as the equal one of Ouro Prêto for its beauty, Diamantina.
Diamantina is located at 1260 m of altitude in a beautiful mountainous area. Houses with the bleached walls and churches with the slim arrows border the tortuous streets of the city.
Is Undermined Gerais shelters true jewels of the baroque mineiro. Congonhas C Campo, located at 80 km of Belo Horizonte, in is a perfect example.
To 135 km in the south of Belo Horizonte is Tiradentes, the city which saw being born, in 1746, the hero of Brazilian independence, Joaquim da Silva Xavier. Here the colonial atmosphere was preserved better than in all the other cities of Undermined Gerais. The houses with the pink roofs, decorated lace curtains and painted shutters of colors sharp did not change since the origins.
To 13 km only of Tiradentes is charming the small colonial city of São João del Rei. One can reach it by a small steam train dating from the beginning of the 20 3rd century. The city succeeded in developing and being modernized while preserving its old workings.