With its colonial charm and unspoilt atmosphere, Tiradentes, in Minas Gerais, is one of Brazil’s most charming destinations. Founded at the height of the gold rush, the city combines historical wealth with cultural and gastronomic attractions.

Among the main tourist attractions are the Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio, with its exuberant baroque interior, the Chafariz de São José, built in the 18th century, and the Museu de Sant’Ana, housed in a former public prison.

Visitors will also find events such as the Gastronomy Festival, nature trails in the Serra de São José and a historic centre that invites long walks through cobbled streets and centuries-old mansions.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the city of Tiradentes was a prosperous mining town in Minas Gerais. In 1718 it was elevated to the category of city and renamed São José in honour of the Portuguese prince. The name Tiradentes was only adopted after the Proclamation of the Republic, in reference to the Martyr of the Inconfidência Mineira, born on the Pombal farm, near the town.

With the decline of mining, Tiradentes fell into oblivion. Although listed by Iphan in 1938, it remained isolated until the 1970s, when it was rediscovered by artists and intellectuals from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. Carefully restored, it now thrives on tourism: there are some 8,000 beds in hotels and inns – more than the 6,000 permanent residents.

The well-preserved colonial houses, a calendar full of cultural events, as well as shops, restaurants and charming inns attract a sophisticated public with high purchasing power. Tiradentes is a town that can be explored on foot – although children often enjoy the horse-drawn carriage rides available in the square.

Video about the history and tourist attractions of Tiradentes MG

Conheça os principais pontos turísticos de Tiradentes

History of Tiradentes

The town of Tiradentes was founded around 1700, when the Paulistas discovered gold on the slopes of the Serra de São José.

At that time it was a village called Santo Antônio do Rio das Mortes.

In 1718, the town’s status was raised and it was renamed Vila de São José, in honour of Prince José. Throughout the 18th century, the town lived from gold mining and was one of the most important gold producing centres in Minas Gerais.

The wealth of the gold mines financed works and improvements in the region. Churches, chapels and other buildings took on the characteristics of Baroque and Rococo architecture.

The great names of colonial art were called upon to design the buildings, including the famous sculptor Aleijadinho.

The decline of precious metal mining at the beginning of the 19th century practically brought the city to its knees. This process caused the region to fall asleep to the world, a fact that has contributed to the preservation of its architectural heritage.

After the proclamation of the Republic in 1889, the city was renamed Tiradentes in honour of Ensign Joaquim José da Silva Xavier.

The officer was considered an important name in the Inconfidência Mineira, which fought against Portuguese rule in the 1780s. Since then, the town has gradually begun to appreciate in value. Take the opportunity to find out more about Tiradentes and the city that bears its name.

There are still some excellent examples of 18th century civil architecture in the city, such as the Sobrado Ramalho, located on Rua da Câmara, on the corner of Rua Dirección, a place known as Quatro Cantos.

Tiradentes is located in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, bordering the cities of Coronel Xavier Chaves, Prados, Resende Costa, Santa Cruz de Minas and Vilarejo do Bichinho.

The distance from Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, to Tiradentes is approximately 200 kilometres.

Tiradentes MG Tourist Attractions

1. Forras Square
2. Chapel of Bom Jesus da Pobreza
3. Chapel of Saint John the Evangelist
4. Father Toledo Museum
5. Mother Church of St Anthony
6. Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity
7. Fountain of St Joseph
8. Church of St Francis of Paola
9. Church of Our Lady of Mercy
10. Yves Alves Cultural Centre
11. Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos
12. Santana Museum

1 Largo das Forras

Former slaves gathered in this square to celebrate the end of slavery in 1888.

Remodelled in 1989 by the landscape architect Roberto Burle Marx, it is now the heart of the town: home to the Town Hall (a rare three-storey colonial building) and a large number of craft shops, restaurants, bars and inns.

In high season it’s very busy and the atmosphere is festive.

On the side of the square, the old stone arch of the Forras Bridge crosses the Santo Antônio stream.

2. Bom Jesus da Pobreza Chapel

This unique chapel, built at the end of the 18th century, has undergone several modifications. Its plan is simple and the altars are sparsely decorated.

The chapel of Bom Jesus da Pobreza, or Bom Jesus Agonizante, marks the Largo das Forras. It stands between bars and restaurants and gives the square a certain colonial feel.

The history of the church is rather uncertain, as there is no documentation of its construction.

It is believed to date back to the second half of the 18th century and to have been built as payment for a promise made by the then Captain Major Gonçalo Joaquim de Barros.

The church has a simple Baroque-Rococo façade and an interior marked by the image of the dying Jesus Christ in the middle of a wooden altar with colourful floral paintings.

It has undergone several interventions since it was built, including a major renovation in the 1950s.

However, it still contains a treasure: a moving image of Jesus in agony, one of the most beautiful in the entire Gold Country. Largo das Forras, s/n, Centre.

3. Chapel of Saint John the Evangelist

The chapel, which belongs to the Brotherhood of the Brown Men, was begun in 1760 but was not completed until the beginning of the 19th century.

The façade is large and simple, with no towers: the bell was placed in one of the windows.

Inside, the altars have beautiful Rococo carvings and images over 2 metres high depicting the torments of the patron saint. Rua Padre Toledo, s/n, Centre.

4. Father Toledo Museum

The manor house where the priest and inconfident Carlos de Toledo lived and plotted was converted into a museum in 1971, exhibiting period furniture, objects and paintings.

The highlight is the painted ceilings in its twelve rooms, some with classical motifs, such as in the Room of the Five Senses. Rua Padre Toledo, 190, Centre.

5. The Mother Church of Saint Anthony

Begun in 1710, it took forty years and half a tonne of gold to complete the magnificent carvings on the seven altars.

The Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio is the oldest and most important Catholic church in Tiradentes and a great example of Baroque and Rococo architecture. Construction began in 1710, when a group of devotees founded the Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament.

The most emblematic of the churches of Tiradentes, the Matriz de Santo Antônio, has a façade designed by Aleijadinho. The project dates back to the beginning of the 18th century, but the changes made by the great Minas Gerais artist did not take place until the beginning of the 19th century.

As soon as you enter, you can’t help but be impressed by the silver chandeliers and the amount of gold that adorns the altar and its images. The sculptures in the doorway are also by Aleijadinho.

The church contains 482 kg of gold, making it the second largest church in Brazil after São Francisco da Penitência in Salvador.

On the balustrade of the choir is the organ, brought from Portugal in 1788, housed in a carved wooden case and painted in the rococo style by Manuel Vítor de Jesus, the artist who also painted the ceiling and the sacristy.

Also noteworthy are the large wooden chests with silver fittings and the 18th-century images. The façade was modified in 1810 to a design by Aleijadinho.

The postcard of Tiradentes, the Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio, is one of the most beautiful in Minas Gerais.

The sundial outside is one of the main symbols of the city. Carved in soapstone, it shows the time according to the position of the stars.

In the churchyard there is a sundial dating from 1785, which is now one of the symbols of the town.

At weekends, a sound and light show tells the story of the church and explains its artistic and architectural heritage. R. da Câmara, s/n, Centre.

6. Shrine of the Holy Trinity

Manuel Vítor de Jesus was the author of the project for this church, which was built in 1810.

It houses a rarity: an image of God dressed as a medieval pope with his hands outstretched. In the 1920s, the church, a pilgrimage destination, was given the title of Sanctuary.
Pilgrimages to the Holy Trinity take place every year between May and June. Praça Padre José Bernardino, s/n, Centre.

7. São José Fountain

The “blue fountain” was built in 1749 and is considered the most beautiful in the Gold Circuit.

Surrounded by a wall, drinking water gushes from the three carved stone faces that make it up. It comes from an ancient stone aqueduct whose source is the Mãe-d’água forest at the foot of the São José mountain range, where you can take a guided walk. Rua do Chafariz, s/n, Centre.

8. Church of St Francis of Paola

The great charm of this small church, built in the mid-18th century, lies in its location: it sits on a hill from where you can enjoy a privileged view of Tiradentes. Rua Nicolau Panzera, s/n (Largo de São Francisco), Centre.

9. Church of Our Lady of Mercy

Built by the Brotherhood of the Black Creoles (blacks born in Brazil), this church has a polychrome Rococo altar and an important collection of 18th-century images, among which the patron saint stands out for her extreme delicacy and femininity. Largo das Mercês, s/n, Centre.

10. Yves Alves Cultural Centre

The largest cultural centre in Tiradentes is an ominous colonial-style building. It has an amphitheatre, gallery, meeting room, cafeteria and bar, as well as a large garden area. Rua Direita, 168, Centre.

11. Church of Our Lady of the Black Rosary

This is the oldest church in the town, built in 1708 on the site of the original chapel.

Legend has it that slaves worked on its construction during full moon nights, decorating it with gold from the mines hidden under their fingernails.

It has three altars decorated with images of black saints. The nave and ceiling were painted by Manuel Vítor dos Santos. Praça Padre Lourival Salvo Rios, s/n.

12. Santana Museum

The Tiradentes Public Prison was built around 1730.

It suffered a fire in 1829 and was restored in 1835, preserving its original structure, gates and railings. However, its façades were rebuilt in the neoclassical style that dominated public buildings in the 19th century.

Practically inactive since 1984, when the city’s prisoners were sent to the districts of Vila de Santa Cruz and São João del Rei, the prison was emptied and, on 27 September of that year, the government of Minas Gerais donated the property to the Rodrigo Melo Franco de Andrade Foundation.

The Foundation decided to create the Presidente Tancredo Neves Museum of Sacred Art, which was open from 1986 to 2005, with pieces donated by private individuals.

A few years later, the building was given to the Flávio Gutierrez Cultural Institute to house the Sant’Ana Museum, which opened in 2014.

The museum houses 291 images of Saint Anne, the patron saint of homes, families and miners.

They are Brazilian works, from different regions of the country, both learned and popular, of different styles and techniques, mostly by anonymous artists between the 17th and 19th centuries, in different materials.

Other places of interest in Tiradentes

1. Visiting the city

Tiradentes attracts attention with its harmonious ensemble of colonial buildings and surprises with the variety of cultural activities on offer to visitors.
As you stroll around, take note of

• The Town Hall (Rua da Câmara, s/n), a building dating from 1718 with a large balcony decorated with a rococo coat of arms.
• The Ramalho Sobrado (Rua da Câmara, 124), home of the Municipal Band and the local Iphan Office, which now houses exhibitions and is open to the public; the Aimorés Sobrado, home of the Aimorés Football Club (Rua Direita, 159).
• In the six small chapels scattered along the streets that make up the Pilgrim’s Way of the Cross.

2. Train journey

Inaugurated in 1881 by Dom Pedro li, the friendly train still runs between Tiradentes and São João del Rei.

The 12-kilometre journey takes 35 minutes and is enchanting. The walk is particularly pleasant in April and May, when the landscape is in full bloom. Av. Hermínio Alves, 366, Centre.

3. Ecotourism

The landscape of Tiradentes is dominated by the rocky massif of Serra de São José, whose abrupt walls can be seen from everywhere in the city.

The mountain range, about 15 kilometres long and with an average height of 1100 metres, also runs through Coronel Xavier Chaves, Prados, Santa Cruz de Minas and São João del-Rei.

It has been a State Nature Reserve since 1990 and was declared a Dragonfly Reserve by the State Government in 2004: it is estimated that the region is home to 120 species of this insect, around 20% of the total number found in Brazil.

The flora is varied.

From the historic centre of Tiradentes, you can reach the mountains on foot, after a 40-minute walk, or by carriage, horse or jeep.

There are many ways to explore the area, and it is best to do so with the help of guides, who can be hired in the town or in São João del Rei.

Hiking – Trekking

Basic recommendations for hiking in the Serra de São José: Wear long trousers, sunscreen and insect repellent. Bring a snack, water and binoculars (some agencies provide all the equipment; check beforehand), and be especially careful of the small and desperate micuim, a species of tick that is especially abundant between August and November.

Mosquitoes are also common.

The crossing of the First Wall is a medium-difficulty walk that takes about five hours.

It starts at the Ipê site and crosses the lower part of São José until, after 50 minutes of walking, it reaches the Calçada dos Escravos – a short stretch of steep slope from where you can reach the ridge and the viewpoint at 1258 metres.

After the descent, skirt the natural pools of the Mangue stream, returning to the lower part and reaching Tiradentes via the Pacu district.

On the São José ridge you’ll also find the old Carteiro Trail, which connected all the towns in the region, reaching Resende Costa and a path that went all the way to Goiás; at one point along the way there’s a cross that, according to local legend, marks the spot where a messenger of the inconfidentes was murdered.

Nearby is a small waterfall.

Those wishing to do this medium-difficulty trail, which is about 6km round trip, can hire the services of an agency that provides jeep transport to the top of the mountain.

The Valley and Mangue Waterfall Trail, which is easy, repeats a previous route but is limited to the lower part of São José.

It starts from the historic centre and continues to the beginning of the mountain range, a 50-minute walk away; after another 50 minutes, you reach the Mangue stream, with its waterfall and several natural pools.

If you are looking for a greater challenge, you can try crossing the São José mountain range, a difficult trail that can usually be completed in ten hours.

The hike starts in the town of Prados, between areas of savannah, and continues over gravel to the ridge of the mountain, from where there is a beautiful view of the Bichinho district, from where it continues to the peak of Von Martins, at an altitude of 1430 metres.

The descent, along the Muares path, passes the first wall of São José and continues into the Mangue Valley, where you can enjoy a beautiful sunset.

The quieter Água Santa trail is a one-and-a-half hour walk one way – return by car.

Starting from the Pacu neighbourhood, you walk along a footpath built by slaves, cross the mangrove swamp and climb to the top of the mountain on a path that leads to the Águas Santas resort, with natural pools of thermal water at 27.5 degrees Celsius.

There is a reverse route from Aguas Santas (see São João del-Rei).

The walk along the Estrada Real takes about five hours. The difficulty level is medium, as there are some steep climbs.

The trail leaves Tiradentes, borders the São José mountain range and passes through farmland and Atlantic forest to the district of Bichinho.

Who will take you: Caminhos e Trilhas, Rua dos Inconfidentes, 218 B, Historic Centre, Tiradentes.

There are tourist agencies in Tiradentes that offer cycling, horse riding and jeep tours.

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