A gem town

In a country as vast as Brazil, the possibility of traveling within its interiors is often governed by your determination to see beyond the usual. Ouro Preto located within the state of Minas Gerais doesn’t at first glance appear to be too far from Rio de Janeiro. It was only 900 miles away. Except that access was through either a three hour plane to Belo Horizonte, the capital of the State then another two hours by bus to the city, or a straight 8 hour bus ride from Rio. Since we had a few flight constraints, we choose the bus ride. And so a rattling 8 and a half hour bus ride later, we arrived in the early hours at Ouro Preto.


Vila Rica do Ouro Preto or Ouro Preto, as it is now known, is a pretty little town with steep cobblestoned paths that run up and down the mountains. There are no modern buildings in Ouro Preto. Instead it is a magically preserved colonial town with lovely pastel colored buildings dating back to its founding in the late 17th century. It is almost jarring to see cars running along its lanes as you almost expect mule laden carts to appear. It served as state capital for many years and its rich harvests of gold and precious stones meant that it served as a major world supplier at its height. Its prominence during the gold rush days also meant a flowering of the Baroque style of colonial architecture (or Baroque Mineiro Style). For a town of a relatively modest size, it boasts 23 churches, 13 of which are considered Baroque masterpieces. Perhaps the most well-known of these churches, and the one church you must see, is the Igreja de Sao Francisco. It is the masterpiece of Antonio Francisco Lisboa otherwise known as Alejandinho (or Little Cripple), Brazil’s foremost Baroque sculptor. The entire façade of Sao Francisco was carved by Alejandinho as well as those carved directly onto the ceiling of the church. It is especially wondrous to behold when you learn that Aleijadinho was crippled by a debilitating disease to the point that his assistants had to tie chisels to his hands in order for him to carry out his work. His carvings feature life like faces and there is a flow and delicacy in the work that belie the artist’s lack of formal education. It is truly impressive to behold.

To give you an idea of the soapstone facade carved by Aleijadinho

No less impressive but distinct from the Sao Francisco is the Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Pilar. Behind its unassuming stone façade is Brazil’s second richest church. They used over 1000 pounds of gold to decorate the altar and the nave to pay homage to the Madonna. Its one of the most eye-popping scenes I’ve ever had the pleasure of seeing. And yes, it is second only to the Brazil’s richest church located in Salvador de Bahia, but that’s another story altogether. Seeing the Nossa Senhora de Pilar gives one an idea of how rich in gold the town must have been and how truly deserving of the name Vila Rica.

And after you are done marveling at the churches, the thing to do is visit the different gem stores that abound in Ouro Preto. Again the number of stores is somewhat incongruous to the town’s size. There are over 40 gem and jewelry stores carrying all kinds of jewelry to satisfy even the most finicky purchaser. And there is no shortage of gems here. Amethyst, Rubies, Citrines, Quartzes, Aquamarines and yes, the elusive Imperial Topaz , which can only be found in Ouro Preto, are all on display and oh my, how they glittered and shined. A gem or two are certainly the perfect souvenirs to take back home.