Sabará: Churches, Gold History and Nature

Sabará combines historic buildings and gold history with festival traditions and green spaces. If you’re looking for hotels in Sabará, you can start by asking yourself whether historic architecture, traditional celebrations or walks in urban green spaces should shape your stay. The city offers specific points of interest for each of these interests.

Historic Streets, Churches and Buildings

Sabará’s historic center is home to numerous historic and architectural attractions, including 18th-century churches and old fountains. Preserved sections of Rua Pedro II, formerly Rua Direita, are lined with mansions, most of which date from the 19th century. The street’s architectural ensemble is protected by the Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional (IPHAN). The Chafariz do Kaquende has supplied Sabará with water since 1757.

The churches can also be distinguished by their construction histories. The Igreja Matriz de Nossa Senhora da Conceição was inaugurated in 1710 and has three naves. The Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Ó dates from 1717 and is considered one of the richest expressions of Baroque art in Minas Gerais. The Igreja de São Francisco is a stone religious building; its construction is dated to 1781 as well as to the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Casa da Ópera – Teatro Municipal is considered Brazil’s second-oldest theater.

Gold History and Festival Traditions

The Museu do Ouro is housed in the former Casa de Intendência e Fundição do Ouro of Vila Real de Nossa Senhora da Conceição do Sabará. Its collection comprises 749 objects, including furniture, religious depictions and objects from 18th- and 19th-century mining. The museum is currently temporarily closed for restoration work. Check whether it has reopened before planning a visit.

The Festa de Nossa Senhora do Rosário is an intangible cultural heritage of Sabará and one of the city’s most longstanding events. A description from 2022 lists rosary prayers, Masses, the ringing of bells, a procession and a ride with the image of Nossa Senhora do Rosário as elements of the celebrations. Corpus Christi is also a traditional celebration, and includes the creation of colorful sawdust carpets. The traditional focuses of the festivals therefore differ: the described program for the Festa do Rosário centers on religious celebrations and a procession, while Corpus Christi features colorful carpets.

Green Spaces and Walks

Parque Natural Municipal Chácara do Lessa contains ruins and mining remains from the 18th and 19th centuries. The park also offers interpretive trails and short walks. Its lookout point affords panoramic views of the region. Here, historic traces of mining meet views across the landscape.

Bosque Municipal Alfredo Machado is located in the historic center and offers a different experience: its features include a cascade, short paths, a rest area and a walking route. Sabará thus offers a range of options, from its historic streetscape and churches to its collections and festival traditions, as well as green spaces with trails or a lookout point. Which of these best shapes your stay depends on your interests.

Discover more destinations: São Lourenço, Volta Grande, José Raydan, Caetanópolis, Bom Sucesso, Nanuque, Caratinga, São José Dos Lopes.

See the overview of destinations: Minas Gerais.