Belo Horizonte, the capital city of Minas Gerais, is the third largest city in Brazil.
Situated in the Southeast region, at a strategic geographical point in the country and the continent, BH is surrounded by Serra do Curral mountains, which makes it a place of natural beauty and historical reference.
Besides the natural resources and air and road facilities, the beautiful architecture of the buildings, the commerce and the public services, as well as rich artistic and cultural resources, are the landmarks of the capital of Minas Gerais.
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Chosen to be the new capital city of Minas Gerais, to replace Ouro Preto (former Vila Rica), the 100-year-old Belo Horizonte was the first planned city in the country.
Planned by engineer Aarão Reis, from Pará, - based on a positivist urban concept - it had the urban sector separated from the suburbs by Contorno Avenue (a ring road).
Within this ring road, there were long avenues, wide roads and symmetrical blocks, the symbols of 'order and progress', the slogan of that time.
The city grew over the limits much farther than expected. Nowadays, with approximately 2.3 million inhabitants, Belo Horizonte is a city of diversity. The pole of a very dynamic Metropolitan Area, it attracts more and more investments. Not only is Belo Horizonte a remarkable city for its center of excellence in medicine, biotechnology and informatics, but it also hosts important national and international events.
Highways
São Paulo - BR381 (Fernão Dias Highway) leads to the South of Minas (Extrema, Pouso Alegre, Itajubá, Varginha cities).
Rio de Janeiro - BR040 leads to Petrópolis (RJ), Juiz de Fora (MG), Barbacena (MG) and Conselheiro Lafaiete (MG).
Espírito Santo - BR262 leads to Minas through Manhuaçu.
Goiás and Distrito Federal - BR040 leads to Paracatu (MG), João Pinheiro (MG), Três Marias (MG) and Sete Lagoas (MG).
History
The people from Minas Gerais had always dreamed of a new capital city since the Inconfidência Mineira - the revolutionary movement of the cultural and economic elite against the Portuguese colonialism in Brazil in the 18th century).
The Republic Proclamation at the end of the 19th century was the opportune moment to carry out the city building project. Vila Rica, now called Ouro Preto, was the symbol of a period of exploitation and imperialism and did not march with the times.
Thus, despite the disagreement between the groups that wanted Vila Rica to be the capital city (the conservative ones) and the ones who wanted Ouro Preto to be the new one, the project of the new 'City of Minas' started to be carried out.
On 17 December 1893, Afonso Pena, the then president of Minas Gerais, promulgated a law to appoint Curral del-Rei as the State capital city - winning the competitors Barbacena, Paraúna, Juiz de Fora and Várzea do Marçal.
It was chosen mainly because of the good climate and topographical aspects of the area, which had been inhabited since the beginning of the 18th century.
Despite not having many streams and gold mines, the small village - whose first inhabitant was João Leite Ortiz, the founder of Fazenda do Cercado and a bandeirante (a member of the expeditions to the hinterland in conquest of new land, gold and precious stones) - was rich in beautiful landscapes and had good land for agriculture. Agriculture, kettle and kettle dealers made Curral del-Rei develop and become an important supply and production center.
The engineer Aarão Reis, from the State of Pará, was responsible for the urban concept of the new capital city. Influenced by positivism, he planned a city following the models of Paris and Washington. Nevertheless, the Cidade de Minas was officially opened very quickly, on 12 December 1897, the deadline for the government to be transferred to the new capital city. As a result, there were still unfinished buildings and a lot of dust. The government allocated pieces of land and helped the new population build their residences.
In 1906, the Cidade de Minas was named Belo Horizonte. At that time, it started developing and industries were expanded, which triggered the commerce and outsourcing services.
In the 20th century, the city developed faster than expected, growing over the planned limits of the Contorno Avenue (a ring road) and the city boundaries. Metropolitan areas were created in the 1970s and nowadays the Great Belo Horizonte comprises 33 municipalities.
All of them are in full development.
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