TRIP TO MINAS GERIAS

We travelled to the state of Minas Gerais in Brasil visiting few of the colonial cities that grew during the gold fever back in the XVII-XVIII century.  At that time, basically almost of all the gold in the world was provided from the gold-mines of this region!

We first stop at Ouro Preto, very reach in barroc architecture:

View of Ouro Preto:

City Center:

Interior of Nossa Senhora do Pilar Church decorated with around 400 kg of gold:

Visit to gold mine Mina Jeje (this mine is in Ouro Preto, you don't need to go out of the town, entry fee is 15 Reais):

Interior of Casa dos Contos:

Tiradentes square:

              Nossa Senhora do Carmo Church. From here you have a great view of the city:

 San Francisco Church:

Open Market in front of San Francisco Church:

 San Francisco Church by night:

Visiting the gold mine "Minas da Passagem", the biggest open gold mine for visitation in the world (few minutes  by car outside Ouro Preto):

We then moved to Mariana, another colonial city very charming:

Square of Minas Gerais in Mariana with Nossa Senhora do Carmo Church on the right and San Francisco Church on the left: 

View of Mariana from the top of São Pedro dos Clerigos Church:

Last city visited has been Tiradentes. The name has been chosen in memory of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier. He took part of a rebellion called "Inconfidência Mineira" against the monarchy back in the XVIII century, claiming freedom, rights, and independence from the portuguese crown. He was arrested and hanged and his body tore in pieces and exposed to population. 21st of april, day of his dead, is a public holiday in Brasil. 

 San Antonio church:

Sunwatch outside San Antonio Church:

Tour by horse:

Fountain of São José:

Interior of a shop:

Sunset:

BRASILIA

We spent 3 days in Brasilia, the capital of Brasil since 1960. It was built in only 4 years strongly wanted from the president Juscelino Kubitschek. Oscar Niemeyer designed most of the public buildings , Lucio Costa designed the city itself and Burle Marx had been in charge for the landscape design.

Quiet a weird city Brasilia, with huge spaces and nothing in between, a cathedral in the desert, but fascinating!

                       View form the hotel room:

                       Museu Guimarães:

                       Catedral Metropolitana:

                       Ministerio do meio ambiente e cultura:

   
                       Palácio do Itamaraty:

    Um Ministerio:

    Congresso Nacional:

                       Panteão da Patria:

                       Memorial JK:

    Congresso Nacional, detalhe da Camara dos deputados:

    Palácio do Planalto:

                       Por do sol na praça dos 3 poderes: