Ouro Preto: Brazil's Black Gold City 🌆

A city from the Portuguese colonial era. It might be hard to imagine, but when cities like New York and São Paulo were still largely undeveloped, Ouro Preto had already become the most prosperous city in the Western Hemisphere due to the gold rush. The Baroque-style churches built during that era, along with later Rococo-style architecture ⛪️, still stand as testaments to its glorious past. Thanks to the innate warmth of the local Brazilians ❤️‍🔥, my distinctly non-local Asian face attracted questions everywhere about where I was from — followed by enthusiastic explanations about the colonial history. As a young immigrant nation, Brazil considers events from just over 200 years ago as part of its "history." Yet, precisely because this history feels so recent, it offers a uniquely immersive experience. #Ouro Preto#Black Gold City #Brazil#travel guide#brazil#old city