Museu de Congonhas

Minas Gerais


Sticking out like a sore thumb amid the 18th-century streets of Congonhas, this striking modernist museum houses replicas of Aleijadinho's The Prophets, along with displays about his soapstone carving technique and Congonhas' history as a pilgrimage site. There's also a mixed collection of religious and modern artwork.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Minas Gerais attractions

1. The Prophets

0.06 MILES

Already an old man, sick and crippled, Aleijadinho sculpted The Prophets between 1800 and 1805. Symmetrically placed in front of the Basílica do Bom Jesus…

2. Igreja NS do Rosário

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Initiated in 1762 and completed in 1823, this beautiful baroque church is the final destination for Ouro Preto's colorful Easter Sunday processions. It's…

3. Matriz NS do Pilar

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On the southwestern side of town, this is Brazil's second most opulent church (after Salvador’s São Francisco). It has 434kg of gold and silver and is one…

4. Igreja de São Francisco de Paula

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5. Casa dos Contos

24.53 MILES

This 18th-century treasury building still retains its historic foundry, where gold was melted down and formed into bars under the watchful eye of the…

6. Museu do Oratório

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This museum features a fabulous collection of hand-carved oratórios – miniature home altars and portable devotional shrines dating back to the 17th…

7. Igreja NS do Carmo

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Built between 1766 and 1772, this lovely church was a group effort by the area’s most important artists. It features a facade and two side altars by…

8. Museu da Inconfidência

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This historical museum is housed in Ouro Preto's old municipal headquarters and jail, an attractive building built between 1784 and 1854 on the southern…

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