Araçuaí: Culture, Architecture and Railway History

On a trip to Araçuaí, cultural history, protected architecture and railway history can be explored as distinct themes. The Museu de Araçuaí is devoted to religious life, customs, traditions and crafts; several named buildings are protected. The area also includes a 95-kilometer stretch of the Rota Bahia-Minas and the starting point of a cycling route. If you are looking for a hotel in Araçuaí, you can first decide whether your main interest is history, architecture or the routes.

Museum and Mercado Municipal

The Museu de Araçuaí preserves objects and documents relating to religiosity, customs and traditions, as well as the crafts associated with the history of Araçuaí and the Jequitinhonha Valley. Lira Marques and Frei Xico assembled the collection over the past fifty years. The combination of objects and documents, on the one hand, and themes of everyday life, faith and crafts, on the other, gives the collection a broad cultural and historical scope. It is a point of interest for travelers interested in religious life, everyday life and craft practices.

The Mercado Municipal de Araçuaí is a historic building of architectural significance and a cultural and tourist center for the region. While the museum focuses on its collected objects and documents, the Mercado is defined by the history and architecture of the building. These offer two distinct perspectives on Araçuaí’s cultural history: the themes represented in the collection and the regional role of the historic building.

Protected Buildings in Araçuaí

The Conjunto Arquitetônico da Matriz de Santo Antônio in Araçuaí is listed as a protected architectural complex under D. 107/2019. It is located at Praça Franklin Resende 243 in the town center. The Igreja Senhor da Boa Vida in Araçuaí is listed as protected cultural heritage under D. 127/2020. The Antigo Casarão da Família Cunha Melo is a historic mansion at Rua Pernambuco 115 and is listed as protected cultural heritage under Lei 006/1999. The Coreto da Praça Getúlio Vargas in Araçuaí is also listed as protected cultural heritage under D. 114/2014. These examples differ both in their architectural form and in how they are designated as protected cultural heritage.

Routes and Railway History

The 95-kilometer Araçuaí–Novo Cruzeiro stretch of the Rota Bahia-Minas passes the stations and settlements of Alfredo Graça, Engenheiro Schnoor and Queixada. The Estação Arassuai in Araçuaí is the starting point of the Rota de Cicloturismo. It is the former EFBM station, inaugurated in 1942; it is also considered a particularly suitable place for photos.

For trip planning, these are two different points of reference: the Araçuaí–Novo Cruzeiro stretch is defined by its specific length and the stations and settlements along it, while the Estação Arassuai is named as the starting point of the Rota de Cicloturismo. This lets you consider the route section and the cycling tour’s starting point as separate topics.

Museu de Araçuaí Visiting Hours

The scheduled visiting hours of the Museu de Araçuaí are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. On weekends, visits are by prior appointment only. Before traveling, check whether these hours are in effect, and arrange a weekend visit in advance.

Discover more destinations: Entre Rios De Minas, Paraguaçu, Abadia, Santo Antônio Do Aventureiro, Contagem, Inhaúma, Volta Grande, João Monlevade

For the main travel overview: Minas Gerais.