Congonhas (Congonhas do Campo until 1948) is a historical
Brazilian city located in the state of
Minas Gerais. It is situated south from
Belo Horizonte
Belo Horizonte (, ; ) is the sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population around 2.7 million and with a metropolitan area of 6 million people. It is the 13th-largest city in South America and the 18th-largest in the Americas. The metropol ...
, the capital of state of Minas Gerais, by the highway BR-040. As of 2020, the city had a population of 55,309.
It is a well preserved historic city and retains the characteristics of a
baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
city, with its
churches,
buildings and
museums.
Other historical cities in Minas Gerais are
Ouro Preto
Ouro Preto (, ''Black Gold''), formerly Vila Rica (, ''Rich Village''), is a city in and former capital of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, a former colonial mining town located in the Serra do Espinhaço mountains and designated a World Herita ...
,
São João del-Rei,
Diamantina
Diamantina may refer to:
Geography
Australia
* Diamantina Bowen (1833-1893), ''grande dame'' of Queensland and the wife of Sir George Bowen, the first Governor of Queensland.
* ''Diamantina Cocktail'', 1976 album by Little River Band
* Diam ...
,
Mariana
Mariana may refer to:
Literature
* ''Mariana'' (Dickens novel), a 1940 novel by Monica Dickens
* ''Mariana'' (poem), a poem by Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson
* ''Mariana'' (Vaz novel), a 1997 novel by Katherine Vaz
Music
*"Mariana", a so ...
,
Tiradentes and
Sabará.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
The city is known for its
basilica - the , commissioned by Portuguese adventurer and miner Feliciano Mendes in 1757 and completed in 1775.
In the ramped
forecourt of the basilica are twelve
soapstone sculptures depicting Twelve Prophets, crafted by
Aleijadinho, one of the best artists in the
baroque
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
style in the world.
The
twelve sculptures of old testament prophets around the terrace are considered one of his finest works. Around the forecourt are six chapels with painted wooden scenes depicting the
Stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of Crucifixion of Jesus, his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The station ...
. In 1985 the Sanctuary was named a
World Heritage Site by
UNESCO for its exemplary Baroque architecture and art.
See also
*
List of municipalities in Minas Gerais
*
Twelve Prophets of Aleijadinho
The ''Twelve Prophets'' are a set of soapstone sculptures completed between 1800 and 1805 by the artist Antônio Francisco Lisboa, commonly known as Aleijadinho. The sculptures are located in the Brazilian municipality of Congonhas, where they ad ...
References
External links
*
*
World Heritage profileSanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas UNESCO property on google arts and culture
Municipalities in Minas Gerais
World Heritage Sites in Brazil
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