Founded at the end of the 17th century, Vila Rica do Ouro Preto (Black Gold) was the focal point of the gold rush and Brazil's golden age in the 18th century.
It is a former colonial mining town situated in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The site has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Its colonial architecture is all preserved, with little signs of modern urban life. Churches decorated with gold and the works of Aleijadinho make Ouro Preto a popular tourist destination.
His body was quartered and his head displayed publicly in the VilaRica square as a warning to other revolutionaries.
He began being considered a national hero by the republicans in the late 19th century, and after the republic was proclaimed in Brazil in 1889 the anniversary of his death (April 21st) became a national holiday.
The first capital and seat of the local see was the city of Mariana; it was later moved to VilaRica.
In the late 18th century, VilaRica was the biggest city in Brazil and one of the biggest of the Americas in population.
As the gold mines were exhausted over the 19th century, the city lost its importance; it was later renamed Ouro Preto and remained the state capital until the construction of the all-new, planned city of Belo Horizonte at the turn of the 20th century.
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