Catas Altas is a charming colonial town founded in 1712.
Located 110 kilometres from Belo Horizonte, on the MG-129 and BR-381 highways, it borders Santa Bárbara, Mariana and Alvinópolis.
Located at the foot of the Caraça mountain range, especially the peak of Catas Altas, at an altitude of 1,820 metres, it has low buildings and cobbled streets in the centre.
The parish church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Praça Monsenhor Mendes, s/n), declared a National Monument, houses the sculpture of the Crucified Christ by Aleijadinho.
Facing the mountain range, its cemetery offers a beautiful panoramic view.
Another important religious building is the small chapel of Santa Quitéria (Plaza de Santa Quitéria), with a Baroque Joanic interior.
Catas Altas is famous for its liqueurs, jams and jaboticaba wine.
At the end of the first fortnight in May, the producers gather in front of the Town Hall for the Wine Festival.
Catas Altas
History of Catas Altas
Located at the foot of the Serra do Caraça and sheltered by the foothills of the Serra do Espinhaço, the settlement that became the present parish began to form at the end of the 17th century, around 1694, with the discovery of rich gold mines, later called Catas Altas.
Domingos Borges is credited with founding the settlement in 1703.
The history of Catas Altas, like that of many towns in Minas Gerais, is linked to the mining cycle of the 18th century.
The name “Catas Altas” comes from the deep excavations that were made at the top of the hills.
The word “catas” means mining, digging more or less deep, depending on the nature of the terrain for mining.
In the city, the catas, the garimpos, the richest and most productive mines, were located in the highest parts, at the top of the mountains, which is why the current city became known as Catas Altas.
When the mines ran out, the town was practically abandoned.
In 1868, Monsignor Manuel Mendes Pereira de Vasconcelos arrived in Catas Altas to become the village’s parish priest.
The priest noticed the absence of any form of subsistence agriculture.
He taught the people how to plant the vines, when to prune and harvest them, how to press the grapes, how to ferment them and how to store them so that nothing would change.
In this way, the parish priest was able to increase the production of wine in Catas Altas, with better and better quality.
Between 1839 and 1995, Catas Altas belonged to the municipality of Santa Bárbara and was emancipated by Law 12.030 of 21 December 1995.
Catas Altas MG - História e Atrações Turísticas
Tourist Attractions
- Stroll through the historic centre of Catas Altas
- Visit and stay at the Caraça Sanctuary
- Visit the Chapel of Santa Quitéria and the Mother Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição.
- Visit the region’s beautiful waterfalls, such as Cachoeira do Maquiné, Castatinha, Cascatona and Cachoeira da Santa.
- Ecotourism
Ecotourism
Catas Altas has waterfalls and climbing spots.
The Estrada Real Park trail starts 2 kilometres from the town centre.
It consists of a 5.7 kilometre stretch of dirt road that overlaps the old Estrada Real, which connected the city to Mariana in the 18th century.
The route can be walked or cycled and borders the tracks of the old Centro Atlântico railway, which ran from Belo Horizonte to Vitória.
From the end of the Parque Estrada trail, it’s just 500 metres to the Santa Waterfall, which has a 12-metre drop and a shallow pool, ideal for children.
The strenuous Trail to the Peak of Catas Altas, 4.5km from the centre, requires a guide: made up of ubidas, it reveals waterfalls and streams along the way.
A 30-minute walk leads to the upper part of the Maquiné waterfall, 3km from the centre, with a 14-metre drop, a swimming pool and natural showers.
The Morro de Água Quente Spa (access via the MG-129 to Mariana, km 97, 6 km from the centre of Catas Altas), with natural pools of thermal water at 28°C, is the starting point of a 1 km trail along the Mosquito stream, where you’ll find old stone pestles, water tanks made of the same material and a hot water fountain.
The Bicame de Pedra aqueduct, dating from 1792, was built by slaves to collect water from the Caraça mountain range and to wash gold. It is 10 kilometres from the city centre, two of them by road (via the MG-129 to Santa Bárbara).
The monument was built using techniques inspired by Roman art, without the use of cement or mortar. In the arch of the doorway you can see that the quartzite stones were laid so that they interlocked.
Today, only 200 metres of the wall, which is 5.10 metres high at its highest point, remain.
From here, a 1.5km walk takes you to the path that leads to the transparent Quebra Ossos stream, surrounded by white sandy beaches.
The peak of Baiano (6km from the centre, on the Estrada Real) – one of the most famous among climbers – is 2016 metres high, with 850 metres of routes with fixed safety pegs. Who will take you: Catas Alfas Tourist Drivers Association (Praça Monsenhor Mendes, 362).
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