Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
high-quality exhibitions (every three months or so) of twentieth-century Brazilian art
and photography, enhanced by videos and interactive installations. The Neoclassical
building itself is another gem, completed in 1925.
Igreja São José
Rua Tupis 164 at Av Afonso Pena • Mon & Wed-Sun 6.30am-9pm, Tues 6.30am-4pm • Free •
T
31 3273 2988,
W
igrejasaojose.org.br
Given its relatively recent origins, Belo Horizonte lacks the historic churches of other
Minas Gerais towns, but the
Igreja São José
, which was completed in 1910, almost
makes up for this with a spectacular painted interior by the German artist Wilhelm
Schumacher. The walls and ceiling are smothered in paintings and murals, and
while it's no Sistine Chapel, the overall effect of the faux medieval and Renaissance
imagery is certainly awe-inspiring. The building itself was constructed in an eclectic
“Neo-Manueline” style (a re-imagining of Portuguese late Gothic architecture), though
it was also influenced by the Art Nouveau movement of the period.
2
Centro de Cultura Belo Horizonte
Rua da Bahia 1149 • Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat 10am-4pm • Free •
T
31 3277 9248,
W
pbh.gov.br/cultura
One block west from Avenida Afonso Pena, the
Centro de Cultura Belo Horizonte
is an
incongruous Gothic Revival structure that was built in 1914 for the city council, the
Conselho Deliberativo da Capital and Câmara Municipal. The whimsical interior of the
building, with its wood panelling, Art Nouveau stained glass and sweeping staircase, is
worth a look, and there are often small art exhibitions or concerts going on. In 2012 the
building also became home to the
Centro de Referência da Moda de Belo Horizonte
(literally “reference centre for fashion”), so expect exhibits with a sartorial angle.
Museu Inimá de Paula
Rua da Bahia 1201 • Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat 10am-7pm, Thurs noon-9pm, Sun noon-7pm • Free •
T
31 3213 4320,
W
museuinimadepaula.org.br
One of Minas Gerais' most famous sons is commemorated at the
Museu Inimá de Paula
,
though his work is not always on display - the building primarily hosts high-quality
contemporary art
exhibitions. The museum's permanent collection incorporates some
eighty works by de Paula, including some piercing self-portraits, but check ahead to see if
they are on show. There is a permanent reconstruction of de Paula's studio on the first
floor, enhanced with some personal effects. De Paula, who died in 1999, was a member
of the “Movimento Modernista de Fortaleza” in the 1940s - his unique “single stroke”
style is considered the greatest Brazilian expression of Fauvist or Modern art. The building
itself is an Art Deco beauty, completed for the private Clube Belo Horizonte in 1928.
Parque Municipal
Av Afonso Pena 1377, between Rua da Bahia and Av Carandaí • Tues-Sun 6am-6pm • Free •
T
31 3277 4161
One of the very few large-scale areas of relief from the tra
c and noise of downtown,
the
Parque Municipal
was designed by the French landscape artist Paul Vilon in 1897,
encompassing a boating lake, two thousand species of tree, shaded walks, aviaries, a
permanent fairground and exercise grounds.
Palácio das Artes
Av Afonso Pena 1537 •
Galleries
Tues-Sat 9.30am-9pm, Sun 4-9pm • Free •
T
31 3236 7400,
W
palaciodasartes.com.br •
Centro de
Artesanato Mineiro
Mon-Fri 9-8pm, Sat 9am-2pm, Sun 8am-1pm •
T
31 3272 9513
Completed in 1971 to a design by Hélio Pinto Ferreira, the
Palácio das Artes
is one
of the finest Modernist buildings in the city. The
palácio
is
divided into a number of
well-laid-out
galleries
, with changing exhibitions concentrating on modern Brazilian
art, a couple of small
theatres
and one big one, the
Grande Teatro
. he
palácio
is also
one of the very few places in Belo Horizonte where you'll come across a good display
of the state's distinctive arts and crafts, inside the
Centro de Artesanato Mineiro
.
