Brazil, 2006
Photo Gallery 14:
Ouro Preto (1)
Photos by Adam Jones
Ouro Preto is the jewel in the crown of Minas Gerais's colonial towns.
It was Brazil's wealthiest city during the 18th-century gold boom, and in 1931
the city fathers issued an edict that the town's architectural character had to be
preserved -- i.e., no modern constructions would be permitted. Today it must
stand as the most extensive colonial complex in the Americas, with the possible
exception of the old city of Cartagena de Indias in Colombia (the most beautiful
square mile on the face of the earth). Restoration continues apace, and far from
feeling like a museum, Ouro Preto is also a major university town, with a youthful
and vibrant ambience.
I.
Looking over the city from the road into town.
II.
View from my hotel window.
III.
Ouro Preto's vertiginous streets turn every tourist into a mountaineer.
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