Visit Ouro Preto, Brazil

Ouro Preto is a virtually unspoilt 18th century town built around steep hills and straddling a network of creeks.

The town was at the heart of Brazil’s gold rush, and miners flocked to the region to make their fortune from the black gold (‘ouro preto’) in the hills. These miners then paid artisans to extravagantly decorate their town.

Ouro Preto's history and culture

Ouro Preto was the regional capital of Minas Gerais until 1897 when the need for expansion, prevented by the local topography, led to the creation of Belo Horizonte.

The town has kept much of its original charm and today is famed for its tranquility, pristine colonial architecture and sacred art, churches and inclined cobblestone streets.