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Ouro Preto (from Portuguese, Black Gold) is a city in the state of Minas
Gerais, Brazil, a former colonial mining town located in the Serra do
Espinhaço mountains and designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO
because of its outstanding Baroque architecture.
History — Founded at the end of the 17th century, Ouro Preto (meaning
Black Gold) was originally called Vila Rica, or "rich village", the
focal point of the gold rush and Brazil's golden age in the 18th century
under Portuguese rule.
The city contains well-preserved Portuguese colonial architecture, with
few signs of modern urban life. Modern construction must adhere to
historical standards maintained by the city. 18th- and 19th-century
churches decorated with gold and the sculptured works of Aleijadinho
make Ouro Preto a prime tourist destination. 09 more images after the break...
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The tremendous wealth from gold mining in the 18th century created a
city which attracted the intelligentsia of Europe. Philosophy and art
flourished, and evidence of a baroque revival called the "Barroco
Mineiro" is illustrated in architecture as well as by sculptors such as
Aleijadinho, painters such as Mestre Athayde, composers such as Lobo de
Mesquita, and poets such as Tomás António Gonzaga. At that time, Vila
Rica was the largest city in Brazil, with 100,000 inhabitants.
In 1789, Ouro Preto became the birthplace of the Inconfidência Mineira, a
failed attempt to gain independence from Portugal. The leading figure,
Tiradentes, was hanged as a threat to any future revolutionaries.
In 1876, the Escola de Minas (Mines School) was created. This school
established the technological foundation for several of the mineral
discoveries in Brazil.
Ouro Preto was capital of Minas Gerais from 1720 until 1897, when the
needs of government outgrew this town in the valley. The state
government was moved to the new, planned city of Belo Horizonte. Wiki
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