Ouro Preto: The Golden Heart of Brazil
By Rod
Eime
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Ouro Preto: The Golden
Heart of Brazil
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The term "lost in time" is an overused and hackneyed
phrase bandied about by travel brochure writers the world
over. There are certainly numerous locations across the globe
that deserve the title, but only a very few serve as a benchmark.
One such location is the historic town of Ouro Preto located
400 kilometres north of Rio de Janeiro. Founded in 1698 by
Portuguese explorers from São Paulo, it marks the location
of its famous namesake "black gold" discovered there
and was the site of the first real "gold rush" in
the Americas.
After some initial anarchy, the following century as quite
literally, Ouro Preto's golden age. During this time a great
many artists, sculptors, scientists, architects and of course,
clergymen, flocked to the area now located in the state of
Minas Gerais (loosely translated to mean "centre of mining").
Wealth and affluence grew exponentially in the area and soon
vast mansions, public buildings and churches appeared across
the city, each vying for the title of most magnificent structure.
By the time of the republic in 1889, the riches were all but
exhausted and the city was in danger of falling into neglect.
In a bold move expressly designed to preserve the cultural
integrity of the old city, the seat of local government was
moved to the newly constructed city of Belo Horizonte.
In a time when rampant expansion paid little heed to heritage,
Ouro Preto stood then, as it does today, as a beacon of cultural
preservation. In 1933 the whole city received historic status
as a "cidade monumento" and when UNESCO began listing
sites of cultural significance in its new "World Heritage"
program, Ouro Preto was among the first to be inscribed in
1980.
Today visitors can wander the unspoilt streets of this expansive
and perfectly preserved Baroque museum featuring many works
by the now legendary sculptor Aleijadinho. Crowned by the
magnificent churches of São Francisco de Assis, Nossa
Senhora do Pilar and Nossa Senhora da Conceição,
it is not just these opulent constructions that form the inheritance
of Ouro Preto. Bridges, fountains and mansions of locally
quarried soapstone, instead of marble, all contribute to the
total atmosphere of this fascinating living museum.
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 Fact
File:
Getting to Ouro Preto is a simple enough exercise.
Most international visitors transfer by coach (100 kms)
from Belo Horizonte after flying in from either São
Paulo or Rio de Janeiro.
Although a day trip is possible, most choose to stay
a night or two at one of the renovated hotels or villas.
One popular hotel is the beautifully restored and maintained
Pousada do Mondego (pictured) with 24 rooms overlooking
the heart of Ouro Preto. This 18th century mansion is
decorated with both antiques and convincing reproductions
to convey an authentic "golden era" experience.
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Adventure Associates is Australia's most experienced
tour operator to South America. For more information about
tour packages to the Ouro Preto and Brazil, contact Adventure
Associates on 02 9389 7466 or 1800 222 141. Visit the website
for more details: www.adventureassociates.com
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