Diamantina |
In 1713, the first residents arrived in Arraial do Tijuco, which was placed where
today is Diamantina’s downtown. They were explores in search of gold in the region and had a great surprise when they found a huge deposit,
however a deposit of a different mineral… diamonds.
The diamond exploration begun in 1720. In less than a decade, the Portuguese
Royalty established a monopoly for the diamond extraction, which up to that moment could be explored freely, and indicated hirers to be
responsible for the exploration. One of the most famous hirers was João Fernandes de Oliveira, the husband of slave Chica da Silva.
In the beginning of the 19th century, the small settlement received, officially,
the name of Diamantina. Right after that, the diamond deposits began to exhaust, starting a period of economic decadence. The situation got
worse when the foreign companies stopped their investments in the region to explore the deposits of South Africa.
To survive, the local residents started to invest in agriculture and, since the
beginning of the 20th century, the region became known for being the seat of textile industries. Even so, Diamantina keeps until nowadays the
trace of the historic center, with old buildings and narrow streets. However, in opposition to the majestic churches found in other historic
cities, Diamantina has simpler temples, built between houses, without any prominence. |
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