Belo Horizonte – Warm Place, Warm People
Brazil is a Perfect Winter Travel Destination with Exotic Sights
Jan 28, 2009
Belo Horizonte was carved from the forest as a new capital for the state of Minas Gerais in the late 19th century, so it lacks the baroque churches and colonial mansions of older Brazilian towns.
But this gives it a character of its own, and its architecture includes wonderful examples of Art Nouveau, particularly around Praça Liberdade. Fine examples of that style and its later replacement, Art Deco, are interspersed among the contemporary skyscrapers that dot the city. There are a number of good examples of both styles on Rua Dos Caetes and surrounding streets, opposite Praça Da Estacao.
Oscar Niemeyer
A friendship between former Belo mayor Juscelino Kubitschek and the young Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer that started in the 1940s, has given the city a living museum of Niemeyer’s building design. The first project, completed in 1943, was a trio of buildings set around a lake in Pampulha, a park-filled suburb. The undulating roofline of the church of St. Francis of Assisi, a dance hall and restaurant right on the lake shore, and a casino (now a museum of modern art) created a sensation when they were built, and still draw visitors today. In the center of town, another of his buildings rises in sensuous curves alongside the more traditional – but grandiose -- buildings around Praça Liberdade.
City of Parks
This is a city of wide tree lined avenues and parks filled with tropical trees and plants. In addition to the beautiful tree-shaded Praça Liberdad, close to the center of town is the large Municipal Park. This tree-and flower-filled retreat is home to the civic arts center, where there is an artisans handcraft shop in yet another stunning Niemeyer building. The high quality of the pottery, wood carving, jewelry from native precious and semi-precious stones and other works on sale here are worthy of a building by one of the world’s leading contemporary architects.
Above the city, the Praça do Papa (Square of the Pope), site of a Papal Mass in 1980, has great views over the city and provides a sense of its scope and mountain-ringed setting.
Varied Museums
This is also a city of museums. The Museu de Artes E Ofícios at the Praça de Estaçao (Railroad Square) is the only museum in Latin America dedicated to local traditional crafts and their preservation. The Museo de Minerais da IRFFI International has extensive collections of the minerals of Minas, Brazil and the world, while the Museo de Escola de Minas Gerais documents the history of education in the state and the Museo dos Brinquedos is a museum of more than 5,000 toys. The list includes a museum of sacred art and others with items of historical and artistic interest.
Local Hospitality
Foreign tourism is relatively new in this part of Brazil, where locals great travelers with genuine hospitality and a lively interest. While English is not spoken widely in this former colony of Portugal, Brazilians are kind and thoughtful hosts, and will always find ways to communicate or find someone who can translate. Hotels, especially those like the Liberty Palace, which is a favorite of frequent business travelers, have English-speaking staffs. Prices are very reasonable, especially for dining; an all-you-can-eat dinner of exceptional grilled meats and local specialties at Fogo da Chao is under $30.
Easy Air Access
American Airlines has just started a direct flight to Belo Horizonte from its hub in Miami, with seamless connections from airports all over the US and Canada.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
