Tiradentes is over 300 years old and like most of the villages and cities on this route, sprung up as a result of the mining industry during the colonial era. Elevated to city level in 1718, it was originally named Vila de São José do Rio das Mortes. The town was renamed Tiradentes, after the failed conspiracy of 1789 known as Inconfidência Mineira (Minas Gerais Conspiracy).
Tiradentes was the leader of the conspiracy. He was born in a nearby village as Joaquim José da Silva Xavier and trained as a pharmacist and dentist. Because of his dental profession he was nicknamed Tiradentes (meaning tooth puller).
Tiradentes became dissatisfied with the state's continual poverty. The decline in gold production put a lot of pressure on the state to fulfil the quota demanded by the crown. Then he met José Alvares Maciel, who had just returned from England, where he had seen Britain's industrial progress. Inspired by the idea of freedom and progress, a group of freedom aspirants was formed. Membership consisted of businessmen, public servants and professional writers. Together they spread their ideas of freedom and independence among the people with the intent to take to the streets in Ouro Preto and declare Brazil as a republic.
The plot was exposed by an insider who traded the information on the conspiracy for a tax waiver. The group was arrested and tried over a period of three years. Tiradentes, who claimed full responsibility for the conspiracy, was sentenced to death and publicly hanged.
In 1889 Brazil became a republic and a national holiday was proclaimed on the anniversary of Tiradentes’ death. Revered as a national hero, his moniker has been used in public squares, streets and includes the 11th Infantry Battalion Mountain Regiment Tiradentes, an army unit specialising in difficult mountainous terrain.
On a lighter note, Tiradentes is home to a narrow-gauge railway track that was part of the late 19th century Minas Gerais railway networks. When large parts of the railroad were closed and tracks removed, a stretch of 8mi (13km) was retained to be used for tourism. Using steam locomotives, the railway operates between Tiradentes and São João Del Rei, Brazil’s largest railway museum.
Tiradentes is a lovely, quiet city retaining well-preserved old mansions on cobblestone streets. Artisanal shops line the streets and rumours suggest that it has quite the gastronomic culture. Curious about duck rice, a local reinvention of a Portuguese dish, I went in search of a serving.
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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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I rolled into Catas Altas with the anticipation of new curiosities. Situated amongst verdant rolling hills, Catas Altas is a small village. At the height of the Minas Gerais gold rush Catas Altas became one of the richest and most populous villages in Brazil. Once the mines were depleted most of the villagers left, leaving only a handful of residents.
I headed for the centre of town. Located in a public square was the Church of Our Lady of Conception with its wide frontage and corner towers facing the lofty Caraça Mountain. This church dates back to 1738, when the Portuguese controlled the interior and prohibited religious orders and missionary activities. The result was the development of new religious groups and the construction of churches. Our Lady's Church has a simple Rococo exterior, but it's richly carved inside with gilded carvings. The church was never completely finished, giving conservationists and historians an opportunity to study its architecture, the building techniques and the materials used.
A few miles northeast of the village is the Bicame de Pedra Aqueduct dating back to 1792. It was made entirely out of quartzite stone and its construction, inspired by Roman techniques of building without cement or mortar, can be observed in the centre of the portal’s arch where the stones are tightly packed together. The purpose of the aqueduct was to carry water from the Caraça Range to the town of Brumado, where gold was extracted and washed. Only about 200m of the wall remains with the highest point standing at 16ft (5m). A set of stone steps are embedded into the side of the wall allowing access to the top of the aqueduct.
As with most of Brazil, I didn’t have to travel far to find a waterfall. Taking a short side trip on my way out of town, I hiked to a scenic spot to enjoy the views of the valley, the railway track and the village with the Church of Our Lady proudly protruding above the rooftops. Before moving on to Ouro Preto, I enjoyed cooling off at Maquine Waterfall.
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