Estrada Real - Ouro Preto

The magnificent city of Ouro Preto is the junction of Estrada Real’s three major roads. Caminho dos Diamantes, the road I’ve been travelling since Diamantina ends here, completing the first section of this journey. For the next section I will be heading to Paraty on the Caminho Velho (Old Path).

The Old Path was the first official route on the Estrada Real connecting Rio de Janeiro to the mining region. Goods from Portugal were transported on this road into the interior while minerals made their way to the coast for onward shipment to Portugal. The tropeiros with their mule trains were the carriers and they would take up to 60 days to complete their journey.

Before I launched onto the Old Path, I explored Ouro Preto (meaning Black Gold), which prior to 1823 was known as Vila Rica (Rich Town). Ouro Preto was the second capital city of Minas Gerais until it was moved in 1897 to Belo Horizonte, the current capital.

Ouro Preto is a UNESCO site mainly due to the well-preserved colonial Portuguese architecture lining its winding cobbled streets. The churches were decorated with gold and sculptures designed by local artist Antônio Francisco Lisboa, better known as Aleijadinho. Ouro Preto's wealth attracted European intellectuals, who brought music, art, and philosophy to the city.

It was also the centre of a failed attempt to break away from Portugal. As gold mining declined, Minas Gerais was unable to meet its tax obligations to the crown. Inspired by the success of the American Revolution and subsequent independence of the Thirteen Colonies, a group of prominent individuals conspired to rise up in rebellion against Portugal. The objective was to turn Brazil into a republic and choose a leader through democratic elections. The conspiracy was subsequently discovered when insiders revealed the plan to the government. In the aftermath, a number of conspirators were exiled to Africa, some were acquitted, and a few were executed, including the leader known as Tiradentes.

One of the most significant landmarks in Ouro Preto is the Church of St. Francis of Assisi. Both the structure and the interior’s carved decorations were designed by Aleijadinho, an accomplished architect and sculptor. Building began in 1760 in a Rococo style. Its interior is ornately decorated with gilded woodwork, frescoes, and sculptures. The stunning paintings on the ceiling were done by Mestre Atade, a colleague of Aleijadinho, hailing from the nearby city of Mariana. Above the single door entrance is an intricately detailed relief of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of Italy – the St Francis Way is a pilgrimage trail inspired by St Francis’ life.

In 1969 two century-old higher education schools, the School of Mining among them, merged into the Federal University of Ouro Preto, transforming the city into a thriving university town. There's a fine collection of minerals, gemstones, and crystals at the Mining School's Mineralogy Museum. On site security is extremely high due to the gemstones' incalculable value.

There is so much more to see and explore but it’s time to move on as soon as I’ve indulged in a traditional Brazilian Carrot Cake. Delightfully light, the cake is very fluffy topped with a thin layer of chocolate.

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Estrada Real - Diamantina

Imagine if you could hop in a time machine back to the year 1500 and were sailing from Portugal to India via Africa’s Cape of Good Hope but you sail too far west on the Atlantic Ocean and come across a massive landmass. That’s what happened to Pedro Alvares Cabral, a Portuguese fleet commander enroute to India. Making landfall, he believed he was on a giant island until he explored more of the coastline and realised he was actually on a continent, that being South America. He swiftly claimed the land for the Portuguese Crown that later came to be known as Brazil.

At the time of Cabral’s discovery, Brazil was occupied by indigenous tribes. Colonial settlement began thirty years later (c.1530) and the territory remained under Portuguese rule for the next 300 years until Brazil gained its independence. Today, Brazil is the only Portuguese speaking country in South America.

At first, Brazil was used as a coastal trade post, since the Portuguese had no interest in exploring the interior. Brazilwood, a tree that produces red dye, was traded with the local natives and exported to Europe. The colony then turned its focus on sugar production which became Brazil’s primary industry. Export of sugar began to decline by 1700 AD just as minerals, precious metals and stones were discovered in the mountainous state of Minas Gerais (Minas), in the southeast of Brazil.

Fortune seekers rushed to Minas in search of gold. A few years later diamonds were also found. Mining for precious metals and gems became the new economic activity in Brazil but the difficulty was in safely transporting them to the ports for onward passage to Portugal. Smugglers and pirates were plentiful and in order to protect the colonial assets the Crown built three main roads - Caminho Velho, Caminho Novo and Caminho dos Diamantes - and a minor one, collectively referred to as Estrada Real (the Royal Road).

My journey focuses on the three main roads beginning in Diamantina, at the northernmost point of Caminho dos Diamantes (the Diamond Path). Built on the side of a steep valley, Diamantina was founded in 1713 and grew to prominence 16 years later when diamonds were discovered in the area. As the city flourished, cobblestone streets and colourful semi-detached houses went up. Influenced by Portuguese architecture, Diamantina’s buildings were made of wood, a unique difference from other Brazilian towns. The windows were colourfully trimmed and decorated with small iron balconies from where one could take in the sites.

Diamantina’s historic centre is a reminder of the early explorers who braved the interior in search of diamonds and their ability to adapt to new environments. In recognition of this, the city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enjoying the narrow streets and gorgeous buildings, I meandered my way through them towards the end of the city and out into the countryside heading for Serro.



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