Estrada Real - Congonhas

Congonhas is a city of 55,000 residents and is primarily known for its basilica, the Bom Jesus of Matosinhos Sanctuary. It is located on a bluff that is part of the Ouro Branco Mountain range. Access to the 18th century sanctuary was via a steep cobbled street. A stride up the hill brought me to the sanctuary’s forecourt, encircled by a parapet and topped with twelve statues. Depicting the Twelve Prophets from the Old Testament, the soapstone (a type of metamorphic rock) sculptures were created between 1800-1805 by Aleijadinho. Several high-profile artists worked on the sanctuary including painter Mestre Atade and architect Francisco de Lima Cerqueira. With a Baroque exterior and Italian Rococo interior, in 1985 the church was designated a UNESCO site.

The construction of the sanctuary was commissioned by Portuguese adventurer and miner Feliciano Mendes. After recovering from a grave illness, he promised to Bom Jesus of Matosinhos he would build the church. Bom Jesus is a polychrome sculpture in Portugal. Thought to have been sculpted by Nicodemus, a man who knew Jesus in real life, it is believed that the sculpture has a perfect likeness of Jesus.

When the sanctuary was built, a copy of Bom Jesus was imported from Portugal. Bom Jesus was seen as a “powerful vehicle for intercession” and believed that prayers uttered before the sculpture would be answered. The Room of Miracles next to the church became a place for pilgrims to make offerings as thanks for their answered prayers. Hundreds of photos and small tokens line the walls and display cabinets inside the room.

A walk down the hill leads to six chapels, each with polychrome sculptures – sculpted by Aleijadinho and painted by Atade – depicting various scenes in Jesus’ life. The chapels are not accessible, but I could peer through the windows to see the works. A scene depicting the Last Supper was in the farthest chapel, with sculptures in vivid detail bringing the whole thing to life.

Throughout its time, the sanctuary drew pilgrims from afar and continues to retain its importance as a pilgrimage site. The setting is beautiful and serene, with remarkable works that are worth taking the time to observe and enjoy.

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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 - Catas Altas

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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Estrada Real - Ipoema

Ipoema is a tiny village known for two things: lots and lots of waterfalls, and the Tropeiros Museum. With only 2,000 inhabitants, travelling through the village was a breeze but not before I visited the museum.

Set in a small house, the museum tells the story of the tropeiros and their significant role during Brazil’s colonial period. The tropeiros were mule drovers and traders. When the gold rush began in Minas Gerais, the people who went there spent all their effort mining, leaving no time for farming nor the production of essential goods. The tropeiros filled that gap by bringing cattle, food and manufactured products into the interior. Travelling along well-known trails, their trips would take several weeks.

The tropeiro would be part of an entourage and responsible for seven animals that he would manage through specific shouts and whistles. Each animal carried about 260lb (120kg) and could travel up to 1860mi (3000km). During these journeys, tropeiros carried news from village to village when roads didn't exist, and distances were long.

They were identified by their clothing, wearing a flannel shirt, wide-brimmed hat, boots and a blanket across the shoulder. Each night they camped under a leather tent, cooking their meal, and keeping warm by the fire using their blanket for protection.

A favourite meal of the tropeiros was made from cassava flour, bacon, beans and dried meat. It has become one of Brazil's traditional dishes called Tropeiro Beans. Besides the simplicity of the meal, it is very hardy and easy to make.

As I pass by the statue of a tropeiro and his mule in Ipoema, I head for the nearest restaurant to order my own tasty plate of Tropeiro Beans.

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Estrada Real - Conceição do Mato Dentro

I made it to Conceição do Mato Dentro, a small city with about 20,000 people. Modern buildings lined the main street that ran through the centre of the city. About halfway down the main road, I found a quirky path that zigzagged up the hill to another street. Curious about what was at the top, I hiked up and came across another path, much wider that led to Bom Jesus de Matozinhos Sanctuary.

The sanctuary was built in the 1930s replacing an earlier dilapidated version. Whilst the building seemed somewhat stark, its cream brick façade with burgundy grouting gave it a unique look that was a little unusual for a church design. Gorgeous stained-glass windows ran along the church's length. Located high up on a hill, the sanctuary offered great views of the city and mountains.

Meandering through the streets I visited the various churches and chapels with their white facades and blue trimmings. One of them had a bandstand at the front and a marketplace behind where I could indulge in fresh produce, a touch of sweets and local crafts.

After an amble around a wooden townhouse that served as a jailhouse and town hall, I headed into nature to visit the numerous waterfalls surrounding the outskirts of the city. The most famous one nearby is Minas Gerais’ tallest waterfall, Tabuleiro Waterfall. At the top are more waterfalls and lakes whilst at the bottom is a 59ft (18m) deep pool surrounded by large blocks of stone.

About 27mi (45km) southwest of Conceição do Mato Dentro is the Juquinha sculpture. It’s quite big, measuring 9ft (3m) in height. Made of cement by a plastic artist, the large sculpture pays tribute to a local hiker who was renowned for picking flowers and offering them to passing tourists, sometimes in exchange for objects of interest. He was a simple mountain man who easily befriended travellers, becoming an increasingly popular and beloved figure. After he passed away in 1983, the statue was erected in Serra do Cipó National Park and today is considered a symbol and protector of the Serra.

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Estrada Real - Serro

Serro is a small town tucked away in the mountains and surrounded by rivers and dozens of waterfalls. The Jequitinhonha River, located about 7.5mi (12km) west of the city, begins its flow in the nearby mountain range of Pedra Redonda and flows northeast for 625mi (1000km) emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. The river played an important role in the 16th century when Brazil was briefly divided into two governments and the river was the dividing point between the two. The river was also the location where the first diamonds were mined, producing much of Brazil’s earlier wealth.

 Neat little single and double storey houses line the narrow streets, some with six feet tall, whitewashed walls. As I meandered through the streets I stopped at a white house with blue trims and mellow yellow window shutters. The chandelier-like planter hanging from the veranda’s ceiling carried small pots of string of pearls, a small succulent, creeping vine with leaves that looked like peas. I could imagine whiling away a few hours with a cuppa, enjoying the peacefulness of the street.

 

The city of Serro is known for its cheese. Producing semi-cured cheese, ricotta, mozzarella and others, it is most famous for the Queijo do Serro, an artisanal semi-hard cheese. The recipe was originally brought from Portugal in the 18th century and later adapted locally to create a cheese with “greater acidity, light color and soft consistency”. The cheese is so special in Serro that it was granted Geographical Indication status which grants protected status and naming rights to locally created food products. The downside of such a designation in Brazil is that the product cannot be sold outside the state of Minas Gerais.

Pardon me, but I'm off to get some crackers and Queijo do Serro. I'm mighty hungry and salivating at the thought of cheese. What are the chances I can enjoy a hot cuppa on the verandah with the cheese?

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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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