Ouro Preto

A historic city in Minas Gerais, Brazil, shaped by the 18th-century gold rush and renowned for its Baroque churches and colonial architecture.

Gold Rush in Brazil: A 17th- and 18th-century wave of gold discoveries that drew settlers into Brazil’s interior. The rush created the settlement that became Ouro Preto and financed its growth.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Ouro Preto: An 18th-century Rococo church in Ouro Preto designed by Aleijadinho. Its carved stonework and painted interior exemplify the city’s artistic peak.
Cláudio Manuel da Costa: A Brazilian poet and lawyer associated with the Inconfidência Mineira. He was a leading literary figure in Vila Rica and a participant in the conspiracy.
Slavery in Brazil: The system of forced labor that sustained Brazil’s colonial and imperial economies. Enslaved Africans performed much of the labor that extracted the region’s gold.
Mariana, Minas Gerais: A historic city in Minas Gerais and the state’s first capital. Its nearby churches and colonial streets share the region’s gold-era heritage.
Minas Gerais: A state in southeastern Brazil whose name means “General Mines.” Ouro Preto became a leading center of the gold-producing region that gave the state its name.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Ouro Preto: An 18th-century Catholic church in Ouro Preto with design elements associated with Aleijadinho. It shows how competing religious brotherhoods commissioned elaborate architecture.
Tomás Antônio Gonzaga: A Portuguese-Brazilian poet and magistrate associated with the Inconfidência Mineira. His career and writing linked Vila Rica’s intellectual life to the independence movement.
Portuguese Colonial Brazil: The Portuguese colony in South America that existed until independence in 1822. Ouro Preto’s wealth and institutions developed under Portuguese colonial rule.
Congonhas: A city in Minas Gerais known for the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos and Aleijadinho’s sculptures. Its religious art offers a close comparison with Ouro Preto’s artistic legacy.

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