| São João Del Rei - Presentation |
Historic Center of São João del Rei |
São João Del Rei is a small city in the country side of Minas Gerais which still
preserves the colonial aura, with stone streets and baroque style houses, very common in the 18th century. Located 200km away from
Belo Horizonte, it was one of the most important locations during the gold age and received its name after Portugal King, Dom João V.
There are lots of attractions in São João Del Rei and almost always they remember
the past times. The whole historic center, which includes about 700 houses and sanctuaries built in the past centuries, is protected by Instituto
do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN). Some of the buildings are now museums. That’s the case of Casa de Bárbara Heliodora, where
the Municipal Museum actually runs, and Solar dos Neves, where the family of politician Tancredo Neves family lived and was transformed into a
memorial.
There are exactly 35 churches in the city, but visitors can’t miss Catedral
Basílica de Nossa Senhora do Pilar, besides temples in homage to Nossa Senhora do Carmo and São Francisco de Assis. It’s touching to hear the
bells of so many churches ring at the exact same time. Around the historic center, the city expanded and, now, offers excellent infrastructure
to the most demanding tourist, with international level hotels and restaurants.
It’s the only place in Brazil where tin pieces are produced. There are several
fabrics and stores, which sells from souvenirs to domestic utilities. Other craftsmanship goods are wooden pieces and ceramics, especially
religious images, besides bedspreads, table-cloths and carpets.
After a visit to some monuments, it’s worth to complete the tour with a "Maria
Fumaça" (old fashioned train) ride. It departs from the train station, going through 12km to Tiradentes, another historic city in Minas
Gerais country side. At São João Del Rei station there’s also Museu Ferroviário, with permanent exhibit of old machinery.
Basic Information
DDD: 32
Population: 78.576
Time Zone: - 3 gtm
Local Holidays:
December 8th – City Foundation |
Presentation
