Praça Tiradentes
The definitive center of the town. On the north side of the square is the Escolas de Minas School of Mines, with a museum of mineralogy. On the south side is the Museu da Inconfidência.
Teatro Municipal
The oldest functioning theater in South America opened in 1770 and still has occasional evening concerts.
Before diving into Ouro Preto´s history, the traveller must be aware that filming or taking picture inside museums and churches is not allowed.
Itacolomi State Park
Shared by the municipalities of Ouro Preto and Mariana is a park which contains very diverse flora and fauna with many hiking opportunities. The centerpiece of the park, Itacolomi Peak, is a pair of rocks, one huge and one much smaller, which can be seen from hilltops around town. Itacolomi means "the Rock and the Boy" in Tupi-Guarani. For experienced hikers, it is possible to take a difficult 12 km trek through the park to visit the village of Lavras Novas and its nearby waterfalls. Visitors to the park must be accompanied by a guide, which can be arranged in advance by telephone.
Mines
Mina Chico Rei
One of the largest and most-visited gold mines in the area, this mine was named for the legendary Chico Rei see the infobox. Guided tours.
Mina da Passagem
This is the world´s largest mine open to the public. In order to reach the mining galleries a small trolley is used and it is held by a steel cable. You descend for 315 meters and the total depth reaches 120 meters. The visit to the mine is accompanied by a guide who normally does not speak English, so make sure you have someone who can translate for you. Apart from the grandiosity of the excavation, there is also a beautiful underground lake. If you plan to take pictures be aware that you will need a tripod and a lower shutter speed. Otherwise your pictures will be either blurred or totally blacked out. R$26 Tours around 30 min can be arranged through:
Chico Rei
Another of Ouro Preto's legendary characters is known as Chico Rei, or "King Chico". According to local lore, he was an African king captured and forced into slavery. He was brought to Ouro Preto and forced to work in a gold mine which now bears his name. The story goes that he secretly stashed small pieces of gold in his hair and eventually saved up enough to buy not only his freedom but also the mine itself. He then used the profits from the mine to purchase the freedom of all the slaves working the mine. He is also supposed to have used the mine's gold to both fund and decorate the Igreja Santa Efigênia, the church which became the most important for slaves and their descendants.
Mina Fonte Meu Bem Querer
An interesting mine in which you can see petrified trees in the tunnel walls.
OPM Empreendimentos Ltd
Passagem de mariana, on the road to mariana, tel. 31 3557-5001, [email protected], .
Mina Velha
Opened in 1704, this is oldest mine in town. This mine was dug by slaves and shows the contrast between hand dug mines and industrially dug mines such as Mina da Passagem. Look for the veins of mica and ocher visible in the tunnel walls. The walking space is very limited and in certain locations can be claustrophobic for those who do not enjoy enclosed spaces.
Museums
Casa dos Contos
Once a home of the regional tax collector, this colonial baroque structure served as a jail for revolutionaries in the late 18th century.
Museu da Inconfidência
This museum is dedicated to the memory of the Inconfidência Mineira, an unsuccessful 1789 revolt against Portuguese rule which was inspired by the American Revolution. The building, itself one of the best extant specimens of colonial baroque architecture, houses the remains of some the revolutionaries, a library and archives, as well as works by artists of the period, including works by Aleijadinho and Manuel da Costa AtaÃde.
Casa Guignard
This museum has a collection of paintings by Alberto da Veiga Guignard, an influential painter who lived his last years in the town.
Museu de Arte Sacra
Museu do Oratório
This charming museum has a large collection of over 300 elaborately decorated oratories, small portable prayer alters made for home or travel use.
Museu Aleijadinho
Many important works by Aleijadinho are elsewhere in the city, but this small museum has a few gems, including a strikingly life-like bust of Saint Francis of Paola. R$3 students half-price.
Museu de Mineralogia
This mineralogy museum has a quite varied collection of minerals from quartz to diamond to uranium, including many rare specimens. Children have free admission.
Churches
Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário
Built in 1785 with slave labor. Slaves were forbidden to worship at any other church. The church has a unique shape, with a contour formed by three convergent ovals.
Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição
This 1727 church is famous for its 8 lavishly decorated altars. The cemetery here has the grave of Aleijadinho, and the sacristy houses a museum dedicated to him.
Igreja do Bom Jesus do Matosinhos
The beautiful entranceway was made by Aleijadinho, and many paintings inside are attributed to Manoel da Costa AtaÃde.
Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Carmo
This rococo-style church, built in 1766, holds the last works of Aleijadinho as well as the above-mentioned Oratory Museum.
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Pilar
The oldest church in the city was designed by one of Aleijadinho's mentors and completed in 1731 to replace the original main church. Despite the rather stark outward appearance, the interior glistens with almost 1000 pounds of gold and almost 900 pounds of silver. The basement of the church holds the Museum of Sacred Art.
Capela do Padre Faria
Built in 1710, this is one of the oldest buildings in the region.
Igreja Santa Efigênia
This hilltop church, dedicated to an Ethiopian saint, was very popular with slaves and their descendants. It was supposedly built by Chico Rei and decorated with gold from the mine which bears his name. See below
Igreja de São Francisco de Assis
This unique rococo-style church, built in 1776, is arguably Aleijadinho's greatest work.
Igreja São Francisco de Paula
Completed in the 1898, this church took a whopping 94 years to complete. Inside are Aleijadinho's sculpture of the saint after which it is named, as well as a life-size sculpture of the Last Supper.
Igreja de São José
This church, completed in 1811, was partially designed by Aleijadinho. Currently under renovation.
Aleijadinho
Many of Ouro Preto's famous structures bear the mark of Antônio Francisco Lisbôa 1738-1810, one of Brazil's most highly-regarded artists. Known as Aleijadinho, or "little cripple" because of the debilitating disease he had possibly leprosy, he was a master of high baroque style and imparted uniquely dramatic effects to his work. He was so active as a painter, sculptor, and architect that it is impossible to visit the area without seeing his work. Legend has it that as Aleijadinho's condition worsened, he lost his fingers but continued his work by strapping tools to his stumps, and when he lost the use of his legs he had assistants carry him to work sites. He eventually went blind from the illness.