14 Best Sights in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais

Oscar Niemeyer designed this modern 1940s complex, one of Belo Horizonte's don't-miss sights. On the banks of Lagoa da Pampulha, the Conjunto Arquitetônico da Pampulha encompasses the Museu de Arte da Pampulha, the Casa do Baile, and the Igreja de São Francisco de Assis.

The museum, one of Niemeyer's first projects, shows the influence of the European architect Le Corbusier on the young Brazilian. The glass and concrete structure, whose landscape gardens were designed by Richard Burle Marx, served as the city's casino until 1946, when gambling was prohibited in Brazil, and was converted into a museum in 1957.

The Casa do Baile, originally home to a small restaurant and a ballroom, is on a small artificial island connected to the Lagoa's bank by a concrete bridge. After the gambling ban went into effect, the space was used for various commercial activities until 2002, when a renovation project led by Niemeyer allowed for the reopening of the building. It is currently a reference center for architecture and design, and it hosts related exhibitions, workshops, and events. The internal area has a collection of Niemeyer's original sketches.

The glass and stucco 14 exterior mosaic panels of the Igreja de São Francisco de Assis, which describe the life and activities of its namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, are moving riffs off the azulejos (decorative blue Portuguese tiles) found in many colonial churches in Brazil.

Built in 1898, the French-style Liberdade Palace is the former headquarters of the Minas Gerais government. Today, it is the main venue of the Cultural Complex Praça da Liberdade. Of note are the gardens by Paul Villon, the Louis XV–style banquet room, the main staircase brought from Belgium, the paintings in Noble Hall, and a panel by Antônio Pereira.

Designed by Oscar Niemeyer and built in 1970, the Palace of the Arts is the most important cultural center in Belo Horizonte, comprising three theaters, three art galleries, a movie theater, a bookstore, a coffee shop, and the Centro de Artesanato Mineiro (Mineiro Artisan Center) next door, where contemporary Minas handicrafts—among them wood and soapstone carvings, pottery, and tapestries—are for sale. The main theater, Grande Teatro, stages music concerts, plays, operas, ballets, and other productions by Brazilian and foreign artists.

The Association of Minas Gerais Tourism (AMETUR), is a group of respected, trustworthy ranch owners who have converted their fazendas (farms, or ranches) into accommodations with luxurious yet down-home surroundings. You can visit one or more of these ranches, where relaxation, swimming, horseback riding, walks in the woods, and home-cooked meals are the order of the day.

Conceived when the capital was founded but only inaugurated in 1923, Our Lady of Lourdes Church was elevated to the category of basilica by Pope Pius XII in 1958. Its Gothic architecture has undergone some adaptations, but it's still a magnificent building, featuring a 400-pipe organ and various towers on the side facade that mix well with Belo's skyscrapers.

Opened in 1943, the Casa do Baile was a popular dance hall and restaurant. It closed its doors shortly after the casino that is now the Pampulha Art Museum. Today the Casa do Baile is an art gallery.

The city's only example of the neo-Gothic style of Portuguese inspiration, this building was erected in 1914 to house the first legislative assembly of the capital as well as the public library. In 1997 it was granted the status of state heritage site and was transformed into a cultural space. Local art exhibitions often take place, and the Centro de Referência da Moda (Fashion Reference Center) is located here.

In the main building of Belo's railway station, this museum has prompted the regeneration of the station's surrounding area since its opening in 2006. It houses almost 2,000 rudimentary tools and other items used by Brazilian laborers from the 17th to the 20th century.

Although it has an area of nearly 150 acres with Brazilian fauna, flora, archaeology, and mineralogy, the main attraction of this museum run by the Minas Gerais Federal University is the Presépio do Pipiripau (Pipiripau Crèche). This ingenious work of art narrates Christ's life in 45 scenes, with 580 moving figures. It was built by Raimundo Machado de Azevedo, who began assembling it in 1906 and finished in 1984.

More than 3,000 pieces extracted from sites all over the world are on display in the mineralogy museum, which is housed in a postmodern steel-and-glass building.

Attached to an old colonial mansion, the Abílio Barreto Historical Museum (MHAB) presents permanent and temporary exhibitions about the city of Belo Horizonte. Outdoors are lush, pleasant gardens and a stage where concerts occasionally take place. The comfortable coffee shop here is open until midnight.

With 45 acres of luscious tropical plants and magical winding walkways, the Parque Municipal (municipal park) was inspired by the landscaping of French belle époque gardens and inaugurated in 1897. It shelters an orchid house, a bandstand, a school, a playground, and the Francisco Nunes Theater, a beautiful modern building designed by the architect Luiz Signorelli in the 1940s that still presents theatrical plays and musical performances. With more than 50 tree species, the Municipal Park is highly recommended for walks.

When the city was founded, this square was created to house public administration offices. Today, in addition to centenarian palm trees, fountains, and a bandstand, the square is surrounded by neoclassical, art deco, modern, and postmodern buildings. Take time to linger in the square and wander around the nearby streets. It's the best way to get the pulse of the city.