'Visitando Ouro Preto, Mariana e Congonhas'
New Edition - 4rd edition. Portuguese-English
Dimensions 21.5x28.0 cm. 84 pages. Price: US$ 25.00

'Visitando Tiradentes e São João del Rei'
3rd edition. Portuguese-English
Dimensions 21.5x28.0 cm. 72 pages. Price: US$ 25.00

"Visiting Ouro Preto, Mariana & Congonhas" and "Visiting Tiradentes & São João del Rei" are the consummate guides for tourists who are planning a trip to these three colonial towns located in the eighteenth-century mining district of the present day state of Minas Gerais or for those who would like to know more about this historic region. It begins with a lively introductory history of the so-called Golden Age which is both informative and highly readable. The superb photography of José Israel Abrantes, and explanatory text of the guide take us on a fascinating tour of winding streets replete with churches, public buildings, private homes and monuments characterized by the distinctive baroque style of colonial Brazil.

Here remarkable architectural and artistic talents were wedded to the piety and religious fervor typical of the colonial period, resulting in a unique blend of sobriety and ornamental exuberance unequaled elsewhere in the Americas. The tour also focuses on several of the magnificent churches providing detailed descriptions of their façades and interiors as well as suggestions about the most interesting sites to be visited in each of the towns.

An additional feature is the short glossary which explains the architectural, artistic and religious terms used throughout the text and includes abridged biographies of the gifted sculptor known as Aleijadinho and of the painter Manoel da Costa Athayde. Not only is this a guide for those who take cultural tourism seriously, it is also a work of art in its own right and one which invites us to constantly revisit the glories of the baroque past of Minas Gerais.