Insight Guides: Brazil by Insight Guides

Author:Insight Guides
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Travel, Brazil
Publisher: APA
Published: 2014-01-14T05:00:00+00:00

In the late 17th century it became clear that for Portugal to take full advantage of the mineral wealth being discovered in the state of Minas Gerais, it would need to get those riches quickly to the coast.

A road-building program got underway to build the Estrada Real, or Royal Road. The first route, the Caminho Velho (Old Road), was built in 1697 to link Ouro Preto, then called Vila Rica, down to the port at Paraty.

In 1701, the distance to the coast was cut by opening the Caminho Novo (New Road) from Ouro Preto down to Guanabara Bay in Rio. Then, with the discovery of diamonds in 1729, close to Diamantina, the Estrada Real was extended northwards from Ouro Preto.

Today the old royal roads are an attraction in their own right (www.institutoestradareal.com.br).

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