Rio 2016 Olympic Torch Relay shines light on hidden gems of Minas Gerais
Beautiful colonial towns filled with baroque architecture, tradition and art leave visitors in thrall to this inland state
Ouro Preto is perhaps the jewell in the crown of Minas Gerais (Photo: Rio 2016/Fernando Soutello)
The Rio 2016 Olympic Torch Relay's tour of Minas Gerais came to end on Monday (16 May), having highlighted just why the state is much-loved by Brazilians and foreign visitors. This landlocked region in Brazil’s southeast offers something quite different from the common beach-themed images of Brazil.
With UNESCO Heritage Sites, baroque architecture and some of Brazil’s oldest carnival traditions, Minas Gerais, which literally means 'General Mines' (after the 18th century mining boom there) is a treasure chest of historical and contemporary cultural gems. Rio2016.com highlights some of these...
DIAMANTINA
The 'Musical City' hosted the torch last Tuesday (10 May) when it was fittingly welcomed to the theme of Chariots of Fire played by musicians on the balconies of the old colonial houses - part of a musical tradition called Vesperata where crowds of people gather on Rua Quintanda to be serenaded from above.
Musicians perform from a balcony in Diamantina to welcome the torch (Photo: Rio 2016/Fernando Soutello)
Diamantina was built during the colonial era in the early 18th Century and, as the name suggests, the city was the centre of Brazil’s diamond trade. Famous for its well-preserved baroque architecture, it has been designated UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
OURO PRETO
On Friday (13 May) the torch reached Ouro Preto, another colonial mining town which became the centre of Brazil’s gold rush in the 18th century. During this time it briefly became the largest city in the New World with a population of 80,000 (twice the population of New York and 10 times that of São Paulo at the time).
The city’s street carnival attracts tens of thousands of people each year and amongst the baroque backdrop (which has also earned UNESCO World Heritage Status), and traditional folkloric customs visitors are gifted with a uniquely traditional carnival experience.
Music, cachaça and lots of cheese... Torch Relay arrives in Minas Gerais
The church of São Francisco de Assis in Ouro Preto (Photo: Rio 2016/Fernando Soutello)
INTERNET GENERATION
But it’s not all colonial architecture and tradition in Ouro Preto. The torch relay was marked by the participation of two famous internet personalities. Lifestyle blogger Cris Guerra and comedian Lucas Rangel, who has over one million subscribers on YouTube, caused quite a stir as crowds came out to cheer them on in their leg of the torch relay.
SÃO JOÃO DEL REI
On Sunday (15 May) the torch ascended the Mantiqueira Mountains to reach the city of São João del Rei, where it was greeted by a chilly 15 degree breeze. The city is endowed with a rich artistic heritage, principally from Brazil’s colonial era, but you will also find contemporary architecture alongside its imposing baroque churches.
Various religious festivals fill the city’s streets with colour and music throughout the year, most of them preserving the way in which they were first celebrated in the 18th century. The city’s university also promotes the Winter Festival which brings together the best of the city’s traditional and contemporary culture and music.
Olympic flame visits Inhotim, an outdoor temple of modern art
Bruno Lagoa carried the torch on the Maria Fumaça steam train (Photo: Rio 2016/Andre Luiz Mello)
MARIA FUMAÇA
The journey between São João del Rei and Tiradentes was made aboard the steam locomotive Maria Fumaça which links the two cities, a distance of 12km, by a railway that dates back to 1874. Bruno Lagoa, who works on the line, said of the torch: “It’s one of the most illustrious passengers we’ve ever had. It is one of the most special days during my whole time here.”
TIRADENTES
Completing its tour of Minas’ colonial towns, the Olympic flame pulled into its final stop on Sunday (15 May) afternoon, Tiradentes. Here, sports teacher and local hero Oriovaldo 'Bolinha' Resende was met with rapturous applause as he carried the torch along the town’s cobbled streets, with friends and colleagues watching on.
Local hero Oriovaldo 'Bolinha' Resende holds flame aloft in Tiradentes (Photo: Rio2016/Marcos de Paula)
Tiradentes, despite being the least populated of the four towns, still combines Minas Gerais’ most fundamental elements. It is known for its remarkable collection of baroque art as well as its renowned wood and soapstone handicrafts. Film and theatre festivals as well as a popular street carnival mean that there is a buzz about the town all year around.
