Ouro Preto |
In 1698, an expedition of explorers arrived in Minas Gerais in search of gold. The
metal had been already discovered by adventurers in Serra Sabarabuçu, which attracted a huge legion of men ready to risk their lives in search
of richness.
Then, the first “arraiais” were formed, where prospectors and their families lived
in precarious ways. There wasn’t enough food for everybody, since agriculture and cattle raising were not explored. In the decade of 1710, only
a few prospectors succeeded to stay there. The rest returned to their homelands due to total lack of infrastructure.
After “Guerra dos Emboabas”, between 1708 and 1709, the settlements which later
became historical cities began to gain their first constructions. Little by little, chapels were built in devotion and gratitude to the
saints.
Vila Rica, actual Ouro Preto, arise in 1711, with the union of those small
settlements. The gold exploration reached its apogee between 1730 and 1760, when the village lived its most glorious phase. During that time,
the most luxurious palaces were built. From 1760, they noticed that the gold reserves were running low and the exploration became more and more
difficult.
In 1789, the local bourgeoisie decided to conspire and plot an insurrection to
free the country from Portugal. Inconfidência Mineira, as the movement was known, had been suppressed when colonel Joaquim Silvério Dos Reis
denounced his companions, among them the lieutenant Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as “Tiradentes”.
In the beginning of the 19th century, Vila Rica ceased to be
economically important, but kept the political influence. In 1823, the small city became capital of Minas Gerais and adopted the name of Imperial
City of Ouro Preto. It remained as State capital until 1897, when Belo Horizonte is finally inaugurated.
If the capital exchange made Ouro Preto to loose the political importance, it also
helped in the preservation of houses and historic monuments. There are around 700 real properties located in the center of the city which are
preserved by Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional - IPHAN. In 1980, the city is recognized as World Cultural Heritage by
Unesco. |
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