Founded in 1696, this colonial mining town in Minas Gerais has Brazil's oldest baroque cathedral and well-preserved 18th-century Portuguese architecture lining its streets.
Founded in 1696 as Brazil’s first planned city, Mariana maintains baroque architecture with cobblestone streets and colonial-era churches like São Francisco de Assis and Nossa Senhora do Carmo. Its grid layout differs from other mining towns in Minas Gerais, creating open squares framed by landmarks. Gold rush history appears in gold-covered altars, 18th-century homes, and the Minas da Passagem mine still operating today. Look for details like German pipe organs in churches, bell towers left unfinished for centuries, and a memorial to the 2015 dam collapse that affected nearby rivers.
Exploring Colonial Buildings and Churches
Start at Praça Minas Gerais, the main square dominated by two 18th-century churches facing each other. São Francisco de Assis, finished in 1763, displays ceiling paintings by Manuel da Costa AtaÃde, known for his baroque-era artwork. The interior of Nossa Senhora do Carmo, completed later in 1784, includes curved towers and detailed rococo decorations. Walk five minutes north to Catedral da Sé, where a 1701 pipe organ from Germany plays during Friday midday and Sunday morning services. Climb the unfinished towers of Igreja São Pedro dos Clérigos for clear views over the city’s red-tiled roofs.
Museums Focused on Art and History
Mariana’s Sacred Art Museum holds more than 2,000 religious items across 12 rooms, such as gold-covered containers, carved wooden statues, and priest garments from the 1700s. The building itself, once a seminary, has thick stone walls and arched doorways typical of colonial construction. Music lovers should visit the small Music Museum inside the Bishops’ Palace to see handwritten compositions by local 18th-century musicians. For literary history, the Alphonsus de Guimaraens House Museum keeps personal items and manuscripts from the poet who lived here in the early 1900s.
Gold Mine Tours and Environmental History
Take a 15-minute taxi ride to Minas da Passagem, where guides lead groups 120 meters underground in old mining carts. Lantern light reveals tunnels dug by enslaved workers during the 1700s; above ground, a small exhibit explains how gold was processed. Back in Mariana, visit the Carmo River memorial to learn about the 2015 dam failure that flooded nearby villages. Local guides explain how iron waste from the collapse still affects water sources and farmland.
Getting to Mariana and Moving Around
Most travelers arrive from Belo Horizonte, 80 kilometers northwest, using the main highway or a train from Ouro Preto that takes 90 minutes. Buses connect Ouro Preto and Mariana every half-hour, stopping near the tourism office on Rua Antônio Olinto. While central streets are easy to walk, hire a taxi to reach hilltop sites like Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos. If driving from Belo Horizonte’s airport, consider stopping at Serra do Gandarela National Park to see waterfalls along the way.
Festivals and Where to Eat
On July 16, city leaders host a Mass at Catedral da Sé followed by parades with costumes and horse-drawn carriages for Mariana’s founding day. For lunch, try Lua Cheia Restaurante near Praça Gomes Freire, which cooks local dishes like chicken stew with ora-pro-nóbis leaves in a building from the 1800s. Dinner options include Senzala Pizzeria, known for thick-crust pies topped with soft cheese and smoked sausage. Most eateries close by 10 PM, but bakeries like Padaria Santa Rita stay open early for coffee and cheese bread.
Suggested One-Day Visit
Begin at Praça Minas Gerais to explore both baroque churches, then head to Catedral da Sé for the 12 PM organ performance. Spend an hour at the Sacred Art Museum before lunch at a nearby restaurant. Reserve two hours in the afternoon for the Minas da Passagem mine tour or a walk up to São Pedro dos Clérigos’ towers. Finish by sitting on the steps of Rosário church as the sun sets over the river valley.
