Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto, in Central Minas Gerais, is one of Brazil's best-preserved colonial towns and a UNESCO world heritage site. Among other historical and colonial cities of Minas Gerais (Tiradentes, São João del Rei, Mariana and Diamantina), Ouro Preto is one of the most popular travel destinations in Brazil.

Understand
Ouro Preto, meaning "black gold", was founded in 1698 and quickly became the epicenter of a new gold rush, as the central place where gold was brought to be measured and sold. In 1720 the state capital was transferred here from nearby Mariana. By 1750 Ouro Preto's population had swelled to over 110,000, making it one of the largest cities in the Americas; at the time it had twice as many inhabitants as New York City and five times more than Rio de Janeiro. The city's success inspired the naming of many other cities and neighborhoods, including the founding of the American city of Brazil, Indiana.

As a result of the gold trade, the town, then known as Vila Rica, took a significant place in Brazilian history, being the site of the Inconfidência Mineira, the first attempted uprising in the cause of independence from Portuguese colonial rule. The revolt was led by Brazilian cultural hero Tiradentes in 1789 after he realized how much of the region's gold was going straight onto boats bound for Portugal. The revolt failed however, and after Tiradentes was tried and executed, he was dismembered and various body parts were displayed along the road between Ouro Preto and Rio de Janeiro to discourage his followers. His head was placed in what is now known as Praça Tiradentes, at the very center of town.

In 1822, Brazil finally gained its independence, and the following year Ouro Preto was given the title of "Imperial City" by Brazil's first emperor, Dom Pedro I. In 1839, South America's first pharmacy school was established here, and in 1876, Dom Pedro II founded the Escola de Minas (Mining School), focused on mining and metallurgy. It has since become one of the country's premier engineering federal universities.

By the end of the 19th century, the gold had run out, growth had slowed to a halt. The population plummeted when the capital was moved to the newly founded Belo Horizonte in 1897. Lack of new construction provided for the preservation of the colonial architecture, and Ouro Preto was forgotten in time until Dictator Getúlio Vargas, who had briefly studied in this city in his youth,  began having some sites restored in the 1950s. Since then, it has gradually become more of a tourist destination as one of the best-preserved colonial cities in Brazil. It is particularly noted for its churches, which are special not only for their architecture but also for the carved sculptures by Aleijadinho, one of Brazil's most celebrated artists. Ouro Preto was the first Brazilian location to be declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1980.

Get in
Ouro Preto is about 100 km from Belo Horizonte, 400 km from Rio de Janeiro, and 680 km from São Paulo.

By plane
The nearest convenient airports are those of Belo Horizonte, especially that of Confins. From there, you must get to Ouro Preto by car or bus.

By car
Ouro Preto sits on BR-356 about 120 km southeast of Belo Horizonte and about 18 km west of Mariana.

Drivers coming from Juiz de Fora and Rio de Janeiro in the south should take BR-040 to Conselheiro Lafaiete, take the Ouro Branco Highway and once in Ouro Branco transfer to state highway MG-443 for the last 12 or so km to Ouro Preto.

By bus
Buses arrive at the on the northwestern edge of town. It is an easy downhill walk into the historic center.
 * From Belo Horizonte, by Pássaro Verde,, 2 hr. 16 departures daily.
 * From São Paulo, by Útil, 2 departures daily at 06:45 and 23:45.
 * From Rio de Janeiro, by Útil, . 7h. One departure daily at 10PM.
 * From Vitória, by São Geraldo, or by Itapemirim, .  3 departures daily. The ride takes 7½ hours.
 * From Brasília, by Pássaro Verde, . One departure daily. The ride takes 12 hours.

On foot
The town's small size and steep hills make walking the most convenient way of getting around the city center. Bring some good shoes and be prepared to huff and puff a bit, as the streets are cobbled and you will spend the day walking up and down steep hills. Travellers with impaired mobility may have a hard time getting around.

By bus
City buses run to neighborhoods outside of the city center, as well as to neighboring towns like Mariana. Use the app Moovit provides directions.

By taxi
Simply use the app OP Expert. You may need a CPF from an CPF online generator.

See
Before diving into Ouro Preto's history, the traveller must be aware that filming or taking picture inside museums and churches is not allowed.
 * Casa Bandeirista da Fazenda São José do Manso - This preserved colonial ranchhouse was the first public building in the state.
 * Museu do Chá (Tea Museum)
 * Museu do Chá (Tea Museum)

Festivals

 * Carnaval - Ouro Preto is increasingly popular during Carnaval, especially with college students. Although the city loses some of its tranquil historic charm, the steep streets preclude the raucous loudspeaker trucks found in other cities like Salvador, and people generally just party in the streets. Be sure to reserve accommodations in advance if you plan to visit during this time.
 * Holy Week - Easter week brings lavish celebration to the streets around Matriz da N.S. da Conceicao, with intense floral decoration (Saturday night - you can help in the making of it) and interesting processions in the street.
 * Winter Festival - An art festival with workshops and cultural events organized by the Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto (Federal University of Ouro Preto).

Out of town trips

 * Mariana – 15 km. The oldest city and first capital of the state, another charmingly well-preserved colonial baroque town is only 18 km away. There is a direct regional bus that departs from the intercity bus station and the centre. Moovit covers it and shows the schedules.
 * – A historic train with a steam locomotive between Ouro Preto and Mariana. Specially designed panoramic passenger cars allow for beautiful views of the valley and the sights of Mariana. The delightful way is from R$50 one-way and R$70 for a round-trip (Dec 2021). Construction of this railway, a part of the Trem do Vale began in 1883 when the gold was still flowing into the city.
 * Ouro Branco – 30 km. - The city named "white gold", rather than black, also has several impressive 18th century buildings, and a rock formation, Serra do Ouro Branco.
 * Congonhas – 55 km. Home to the Bom Jesus sanctuary, housing several of Aleijadinho's masterpieces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Buy
There is a Bradesco bank in the center of the town. As of January 2021 the ATMs do not work at night.



Drink




Budget





 * Student Houses, The city has a big university and is full of students houses, known as republicas. They often rent low-priced rooms to tourists.

You can also search on booking.com and sort by price.

Go next
You find hostels and private rooms ...:

in the south-east:

 * Viçosa – 130 km. It is a city that attracts many people from Brazil and other countries due to scientific-academic events that take place around universities, totaling approximately 500 events annually. Its population is mostly made up of young people, which gives the city its own dynamic, in addition to the large number of parties that take place during the week. There are direct intercity buses from Ouro Preto and Mariana by Passaro Verde for around R$50 (Dec 2021).

in the (north-)west:

 * Divinópolis 210 km. – The highlights are the Lake of Roses and the beach at Carmo do Cajuru. Take a Passaro Verde bus to Belo Horizonte and from there a Viação Teixeira bus to Divinópolis.
 * Belo Horizonte with direct intercity buses to various villages and towns in Minas Gerais for staying there, for example Brumadinho with the botanical park Inhotim.