Ouro Preto

Ouro Preto, formerly Vila Rica, is a city in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and the former capital of the state. It is one of the most beautiful historical sites in Brazil. It is a former colonial mining town located in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains that have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its outstanding Baroque Portuguese colonial architecture.

One of the most important places of the Brazilian Gold Rush is Ouro Preto. In the eighteenth century, 800 tons of gold were officially shipped to Portugal, without including what was traded illegally or what stayed in the colony, such as gold employed in church adornment. The municipality grew to be Latin America's most populated, with some 40 thousand residents in 1730 and 80 thousand a few decades later. New York had a population of less than half that of So Paulo at the time, and neither city had a population of more than 8,000 people.

Another place well-known among Brazilians but relatively obscure among outsiders is this one. This adjacent town, Mariana's older sibling, is known for its baroque churches and colonial residences. It is a wonderful site to see gold mines, cathedrals plated in gold, colonial museums, and eat amazing regional food. It is also a university town, so there will be vibrant nightlife during school periods.

Location: the Serra do Espinhaço mountains of eastern Brazil