BELO HORIZONTE
sustai nab l e
ci ty
33
Urban Environment Program
5
Belo Horizonte:
and Sustainable Development
Policies
The City of All
34
9
The Construction
of a Sustainable City
12
Municipal Policy
15
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan 17
Certificate in Environmental Sustainability –
“Sustainable BH” Seal 19
Energy Savings in
City Public Administration
Energy Efficiency “Solar Energy National Capital”
No more plastic bags!
39
“Our Daily Oil”
40
Urban Mobility
44
Green Areas
46
Inventory of Trees in
Public Places in BH
49
Greener BH
50
Garden City/Adopt the Green Competition
53
Urban Water
54
Springs/Drains
55
Environmental Restoration and
Development in Pampulha
58
“Vila Viva” Program – “The Lively Town Program”
59
Structural Program for Dangerous
Areas (PEAR)
60
First School: Municipal Units of Early
Childhood Education – UMEI
61
Participatory Budget:
the decision in the hands of citizens
62
BH Targets and Results
63
Belo Horizonte 2030
21
Operation Oxygen24
Air Quality Monitoring Center
57
Belo Horizonte, Democratic City
20
Energy Efficiency in BH Traffic Lights Project Project LED23
27
Biogas Center28
Solid Waste Management
35
to Combat Climate ChangE
Municipal Committee on Climate Change
and Eco-Efficiency 64
Belo Horizonte,
the city that wins
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Belo Horizonte:
The City of All
The city of Belo Horizonte was designed in 1897 to be the
capital of the State of Minas Gerais, shortly after Brazil
had become a republic. When it was planned, inspired by
Paris and Washington for its urban design, 250 thousand
people would live in this city with good environmental
quality, mild climate and extensive waters.
A century later, 2.4 million people inhabit a city which
is highlighted by strong economic development,
representing 1.4% of national GDP, and encompassing
an urban region of 4.9 million dwellers. Belo Horizonte
is currently the main center of services, knowledge and
technology of Minas Gerais state.
It is a city that has become a reference for Brazil and
the world for its combination of development and
social inclusion through policies such as Orçamento
Participativo – Participatory Budgeting, Vila Viva – The
Lively Town program, popular restaurants – food and
nutrition programs, its performance in early childhood
education and access to healthcare.
It has grown as an international city, which, improves
its capacity to accommodate visitors and, at the same
time, increases cultural and leisure options for residents.
It bets on planning with responsibility to create
a grand future.
It is a metropolis aware that this future will only exist if
we take care of where we live now and if governments
and citizens set sustainable development goals, seeking
to collectively create a greener planet and a beautiful
horizon in a city built by all and for all.
Raul Soares Square – Release PBH/Belotur
Belo Horizonte embraces a population
of 2.4 million inhabitants in its
331 km2,representing 12.1% of the
total population and 13.3% of the
Economically Active Population (EAP) of
the country. It is responsible for 16.1%
of formal employment and contributes
with 15.5% of the GDP of Minas Gerais.
It is among nine of the municipalities that
contribute the most to the national GDP.
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Pope Square – Release PBH/Belotur
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The
Construction
of a Sustainable
City
Here in Belo Horizonte, the commitment to building a
more sustainable city, country and world is more than
an option. Sustainability is a governmental policy, with
programs aiming at this objective pursued in various
areas of the public administration. It is a metropolis
where improvements are wrapped with the awareness
that this challenge requires the partnership among
the government, the civil society and the private
sector. There are initiatives, actions and programs
implemented so that the city effectively contribute to
a greener planet, to an environmentally sustainable
development.
Mangabeiras Park– Aerial view of Belo Horizonte – Release PBH/Belotur
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Julien Rien Park – Release PBH/Belotur
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Municipal Policy
to Combat Climate
Change
The Municipal Policy to Mitigate Climate Change Effects was institutionalized
in the city of Belo Horizonte by the Law 10.175/11 and enacted in May 2011.
The City Hall included a goal to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in the
city by 20% by 2030 in the city’s strategic plan. In order to achieve these
objectives, various actions, projects and programs have been established.
Pampulha – São Francisco de Assis Church – Release PBH/Belotur
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Belo Horizonte View – Release PBH/Belotur
Municipal Committee
on Climate Change and
Eco-Efficiency
The Municipal Committee on Climate Changes and
Eco-Efficiency (MCCCEF) initiated the Municipal Policy to
Mitigate Climate Change Effects in Belo Horizonte in 2006.
It works on the articulation of public policy and private
initiative to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
and to enhance the environmental awareness of the society.
Representatives of the municipal government and the
state, citizens, nongovernmental organizations, the private
sector and academic groups are working on the projects of
Sanitation (Urban Water and Solid Waste), Energy Efficiency
and Renewable Energy and sustainable buildings.
Besides the target of 20% reduction of greenhouse gases
and the promulgation of the law that institutionalizes the
Municipal Policy of Mitigation of Climate Change Effects,
some results from the committee’s actions follow:
• R elease of the Municipal Guidelines for Climate Change
and Eco-Efficiency (2008)
• E laboration and release of the first Municipal Inventory
of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Greenhouse Effect
(2009, based on 2000-2007 as a reference)
• R elease of the Manual for Sustainable Construction
Policies (PoliSC) in partinership withICLEI – Local
Governement for Sustainability was pubslished (2010)
• Implementation of the Plan for Reducing Greenhouse Gas
Emission (PREGGE) and update of the Municipal Inventory
of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (2012)
• P articipation in the embellishment of TRACE
(Tool for Rapid Assessment of City Energy)
financed by the World Bank (2012)
• E stablishment of the Certification in Environmental
Sustainability – “BH Sustainable” Stickers
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Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Plan
The urban environmental plan was established
to reduce and mitigate the greenhouse gases,
with initiatives to adapt the environment to
climate change. Actions will be defined in
the areas of transport, energy, sustainable
buildings, land use, healthcare and education
to promote sustainable development and
to achieve the national climate goals while
promoting a low carbon-emitting economy.
Pampulha Ecological Park – Release PBH/Belotur
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Certificate in
Environmental
Sustainability –
“Sustainable BH”
Seal
The Certification Program is a unique initiative of the public policy
of local governments and meets the guidelines of the Municipal
Policy to combat the Climate Change. The general objective of the
program is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions in the city by
20% by 2030, according to the goals established in the Strategic
Planning of the city and to encourage sustainable constructions.
The “Sustainable BH Seal” is a municipal certificate granted to
public and private enterprises, residential and commercial real
estate areas, and/or industries that have employed measures
to contribute to reduction of water and energy consumption,
greenhouse gases direct emissions and to reduction/recycling
of the solid wastes.
Adhesion to the Program is voluntary and consensual, and certified
projects receive seals in Gold, Silver and Bronze categories,
according to the scale of the project and the results achieved.
Also, Certificate of Good Environmental Practices is given to those
who have employed sustainable measures, but have not achieved
minimum levels established by the certification standards in each
theme-area.
Afonso Pena Avenue – Release PBH/Belotur
“Sustainable BH” Seal
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Energy Savings
in City Public
Administration
The Unidade de Gestão Energética Municipal (Municipal
Energy Management Unit - UGEM) was established in order to
analyse all high-tension consumption units in the City Hall and
implement Internal Commissions for Energy Savings in October
2009. Educational actions in Municipal Education Network
are also part of the activities of the UGEM through the Procel
Program, coordinated by the Companhia Energética de Minas
Gerais - Cemig (Minas Gerais State Energy Corporation). Belo
Horizonte City Hall Administration is also part of the Energy
Savings Program.
energy efficiency –
“Solar energy national capital”
Solar Collection Equipment – Arquivo PBH/Belotur
Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state
with the highest per capita area of
solar collectors. There are about 1.98
million square meters of collectors,
with approximately 800,000 m² in Belo
Horizonte. The capital has a system for
heating water by solar energy in about
2,600 buildings. The city also has the
second largest pool heating system in
South America. After 25 years of studies
in the implementation and diffusion of
technology, the initiative has assured
the city of Belo Horizonte the title of
“National Capital of Solar Energy.”
Belo Horizonte City Hall – Release PBH/Belotur
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Liberty Square – Release PBH/Belotur
Energy Efficiency in BH
Traffic Lights Project –
Project LED
Environmental responsibility and traffic safety. In 2011,
the City Hall, in partnership with Cemig, replaced with
LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) the 22,500 incandescent
and halogen bulbs of the traffic lights in 853 signaled
traffic intersections in the capital. With the project, Belo
Horizonte became the first capital of the country with
over 1.3 million vehicle fleet to have all traffic lights
using LED technology. It is the Latin American city with
the largest amount of this system installed.
The change in the system represents an 87% reduction in
energy consumption for each lamp substituted, besides
decreasing the number of lamps switched – the life of
LEDs is estimated to seven years, 25-30 times greater
than that of conventional lamps. It also enabled the
elimination of the average annual discharge of eighteen
thousand bulbs on the environment and reducing
emissions of greenhouse gases produced by vehicles
responsible for the exchange of these lamps.
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Operation Oxygen
The initiatives for the preservation of air quality in Belo
Horizonte are prominently featured in the Operation
Oxygen Program, created in 1988 under an agreement of
the Municipality of Belo Horizonte with the Government of
Minas Gerais state. Its goal is to control the black smoke
emission by motor vehicles run on diesel. The daily and
uninterrupted monitoring, is accomplished thanks to the
supervision of licensed vehicles in traffic lanes, final
stops and bus stations.
The Operation Oxygen Program aligns itself strictly to
legal and technical advances established by the Conselho
Nacional de Meio Ambiente (National Environment Council CONAMA) through the Programa Nacional de Controle da
Poluição por Veículos Automotores (National Program for
Control of Pollution from Motor Vehicles - Proconve).
Moreover, there is a significant association between this
program and the licensing of the Secretaria Municipal do
Meio Ambiente (Environment City Department- SMMA),
which establish the conditions of self-monitoring of vehicle
emissions to companies in the licensing process at City Hall.
Andradas Avenue and Municipal Park – Aerial view – Release PBH/Belotur
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Air Quality Monitoring Center
An important advance in the monitoring and management of the municipal’s
environmental areal, the operation of the Air Quality Monitoring Centers,
allows the city of Belo Horizonte to develop indicators and studies that not
only will inform the public of the air quality levels quickly and accurately on
a daily basis, but will also be an important tool in establishing the control
policies and in improving the city’s environmental quality.
Measured data are transmitted through telephone network in real time to
a center located in the Municipal Environment Agency, with daily bulletins
of the last 24-hour results. The stations have analyzers to measure the
concentration of Inhalable Particulate Matter (PM-10), Ozone (O3), Carbon
Monoxide (CO), Hydrocarbons (THC, CH4 and NMHC) and Nitrogen Oxides
(NO, NO2) and various meteorological parameters such as temperature, air
humidity, atmospheric pressure, global solar radiation, precipitation and
wind speed and direction.
As a result of actions such as the abovementioned, Belo Horizonte has an
improved air quality. The WHO (World Health Organization) establishes
a limit of 20 micrograms per cubic meter of air for pollution levels as
an average of annual security. According to studies released by this
organization in 2011, Belo Horizonte is the only Brazilian metropole among
the analyzed to fulfill the WHO requirements. The 2008-2011 period was
used as a reference, and 1.100 cities from 91 countries were studied.
Belo Horizonte appears in the 615th position in the general raking of the
research, the best in Brazil.
Belo Horizonte – Downtown – Release PBH/Belotur
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Biogas Energetic Use Center – Release PBH/Belotur
Biogas Center
Belo Horizonte already transforms one of the worst villains that contributes to
air pollution and global warming into growing income and energy. The Biogas
Energy Use Center, operated since 2010, is the major project to mitigate the
greenhouse gases in the city. Located in the Solid Waste Treatment Center
(BR-040, km 513, in the Jardim Filadélfia neighborhood), the Center, a pioneer
in Minas Gerais, processes and burns the methane gas produced from the
decomposition of garbage dumped at the old landfill at Superintendent of
Garbage Collection: Superintendência de Limpeza Urbana (SLU) BR-040 to
produce electricity that the energy company of Minas Gerais State (Cemig)
purchases and distributes in its network.
With the Center, SLU contributes to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions
released into the atmosphere, reaching almost 4,000,000 tons of CO2
equivalent over 15 years. Biogas is also used as fuel to run 3 engines
that generate electricity of 1,426 MW each, totaling 4,278 MW, enough
to supply up to 20,000 houses that consume less than 100 KWh/month.
The Municipality receives 6% of the value of energy traded with Cemig.
The plan of the Biogas Energy Use Center was designed and constructed by
Consórcio Horizonte Asja (the Consortium Horizon Asja), the winner of the
bid organized by the city. The consortium has a concession to explore the
position for 15 years and has already settled the payment of R$ 16 million
to the Municipality in 2008 regarding the contract of concession for the
exploration of biogas generated at the landfill of the Solid Residue
Treatment Facility at BR-040.
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Lagoa do Nado Park – Release PBH/Belotur
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Urban Environment
Program and
Sustainable
Development
Policies
Pope Square – Serra do Curral – Release PBH/Belotur
Release PBH/Belotur
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Solid Waste Treatment Center of Belo Horizonte – Release PBH/Belotur
Solid Waste Management
Belo Horizonte has demonstrated a proactive approach of the
solid waste management over the years. A great example is o
Plano de Gerenciamento de Resíduos Sólidos da Construção
Civil (The Construction Solid Waste Management Plan),
which has been implemented since 1995; before, therefore,
the national regulation convering the matter, established in
2002. Today, there are three plants of the Construction and
Demolition Debris (CDD) Recycling Program in full operation.
The city still maintains various special programs in the
area of urban sanitation such as: Selective Collection of
Recyclable Materials (paper, plastic, metal and glass), Agente
Comunitário de Limpeza Urbana (ACLU: Urban Sanitation
Community Agent), Programa de Compostagem (Composting
Program) and Programa de Recolhimento de Pneus (Tire
Collection Program).
No more plastic
bags!
BH is the first capital of the
country to restrict plastic bags at
supermarkets. The Municipal Law
9.529/2008 prohibits the use of
any disposable plastic bag that is
not compostable (made of organic
material). Therefore, the new
legislation encourages behavior
change in relation to the use of
disposable products.
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Palace of Arts – Release PBH/Belotur
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“Our Daily Oil”
The program is conducted in collaboration between
the city and Recóleo, a company that collects and
disposes materials. The objective of the initiative
is to encourage the donation of saturated cooking
oil since the incorrect disposal of this product can
cause serious problems to the environment. In this
partnership, the company puts containers to collect
used cooking oil in places the city provides. Recóleo
is responsible for processing, refining and providing
the final product to other consumers, especially the
refineries that use it as material for the biodiesel.
The program also monitors the whole process so that
the total byproduct of the cooking oil will give the
least possible impact on the environment.
Release PBH/Belotur
Municipal Park – Release PBH/Belotur
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Urban Mobility
In Belo Horizonte, approximately 53% of people use the collective
transportation for daily commute. The city has a fleet of over one
million vehicles, 71% of which are automobiles. These figures illustrate
the importance of the mobility issue for the sustainable development
in the capital of Minas Gerais.
Nevertheless,that mobility and accessibility to all the places
in the city is one of the majors long-term strategies of Belo
Horizonte. The integration of networks demand management and
the service quality of the public transportation are considered as
the major hurdles for this challenge.
The Mobility Plan of Belo Horizonte (PlanMob-BH) sets the
guidelines for the city to act in order to meet the necessity of the
current and future mobility of the population. The concept that
leads this task also involves concerns about social inclusion,
environmental sustainability, participatory governance and
democratization of the public space.
Based on these references, the Mobility Plan of Belo Horizonte was
developed, starting from a detailed analysis of current conditions
of both the city and the inter-relationship with the other cities
in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte (BHMA), in terms
of flows of people and goods in all means of transportation,
including the non-motorized.
In order to improve the service of the collective transportation,
the city of Belo Horizonte has implemented the BRT (Bus Rapid
Transport) system with bus-only lanes in the downtown area,
Antônio Carlos/Pedro I and Cristiano Machado, and is expanding
the subway system in collaboration with the federal and state
governments. Also the bike lanes have been increased due to the
Pedal BH Program, and modernized the air traffic control.
Sete de Setembro Square – Release PBH/Belotur
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Liberty Square – Release PBH/Belotur
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Green Areas
Belo Horizonte has 73 municipal parks, 790
squares and other 209 green areas, apart from
areas designated as Environmental Conservation
Zone by the urban laws, 2 state parks and private
areas decreed as Private Ecological Reserves.
There are 18,22 m2 of green area per person,
13.07% of the territory of the city, or 43,28 km2.
To these percentages of green areas it is also
added, still, the relevant contingent of tree
vegetation spreading through public places in the
city, containing around 300,000 trees. The capital
of Minas Gerais has already met parameters
established by the UN that set the amount of
green area per inhabitant with parks, squares,
gardens and 5 Centers for Agro-ecological Living.
Municipal Park – Release PBH/Belotur
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Inventory of Trees
in Public Places in BH
Belvedere Sq
uare – Releas
e PBH/Belotu
r
The inventory of all trees in public places in the city, elaborated by
the City, will create a complete information system, which can be
updated continuously and permanently, bringing a breakthrough in
the tree management. This includes survey data on the physical
characteristics and phytosanitary states of each plant’s specimen
and their surroundings. It is implemented by Federal University
of Lavras, with technical and financial collaboration with Cemig.
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Greener BH
The program is to plant trees in parks and
other high-priority public places to promote
improvements in the environmental quality and
landscape of the city. The project must be complete
between 2011 and 2014, and the planting is done in
the rainy season, which starts in October and ends
in March each year. There are going to be 54,000
trees, which are divided into three groups
of 18,000 seedlings, distributed equally by
9 administrative regions of the city.
José Cândido da Silveira Avenue – Arquivo PBH/Belotur
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Garden City/Adopt
the Green Competition
The Garden City Competition was launched in 2000, in order to recognize the
gardens, the parks, the green areas that are well nourished of in the city and to
appreciate the service provided by the public and private sectors, maintaining
and improving it. It motivates and pays tribute to the partners of the Adopt
Green Program and the City Hall sectors related to the activities of squares,
parks and central avenue boulevards maintance. Besides, the competition
awards the private companies that have benefitted the environment.
Approximately 380 green areas are adopted in Belo Horizonte today through the
Adopt Green Program, that provides partnerships with the group to maintain
the areas.
Floriano Peixoto Square – Release PBH/Belotur
Floriano Peixoto Square – Release PBH/Belotur
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Urban Water
Belo Horizonte has come a long and rational way towards sustainable management of the urban water in
recent years. The city has successful management programs such as The Springs/Drains and the Program;
furthermore, it has joined recently an international project with this theme, coordinated by UNESCO, the
Switch Project. Besides, shared management of water and sewage services, established with the Companhia
de Saneamento de Minas Gerais (Water and Sewage Company - Copasa-MG) in 2002 ensures today 100% of
potable water in the capital, 90% of collection and over 60% of sewage capture. The secondary treatment
reached over 70% of collected sewage. Those numbers are way higher than the national average.
Pampulha Lake – Release PBH/Belotur
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Nossa Senhora da Piedade Park – Release PBH/Belotur
Pampulha – Ballroom House – Release PBH/Belotur
Springs/Drains
The Springs/Drains Program is the promoting
depollution of waterways, the reduction of flood risks,
the control of sediment production and the integration
of natural water resources to the urban setting.
In order to develop the program, the city of Belo Horizonte
introduced the previous planned inclusion of waterways
in the city, instead of the traditional plumbing.
Three steams were revitalized and have transformed
the areas in parks, Primeiro de Maio (the First of May),
Nossa Senhora da Piedade (the Our Lady of Mercy)
in the North region and Baleares (the Balearic) in
Venda Nova. The first stage of the program started
with funding from the Inter-American Development
Bank (BID), the Federal Government and Copasa,
beneficiating directly 90,000 citizens.
The aim is to revitalize and to conserve the waterways
of 170 km in total, restoring the areas and generating
new green areas and parks.
The basin of the Engenho Nogueira Stream is divided
into the Northwest, region, the Pampulha region and
the Bonsucesso region. Also the Barreiro region was
included in the Springs/Drains Program.
Environmental Restoration
and Development in Pampulha
The program proposes the environmental restoration and
development of the 97-km2 Pampulha Basin by conserving
the springs, depolluting the water, improving the sanitary
conditions and treating the municipal effluent, reducing the
threat of erosion and flooding. It serves a population of around
450 thousand inhabitants and has as main instrument the
Pampulha Consortium which, apart from the companies in the
region, includes two municipalities in the Basin, Belo Horizonte
and Contagem.
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Belo Horizonte,
democratic city
Belo Horizonte is a city that moves towards the future based on the assumptions
that put priority on the public interests and value the shared decisions. Partnership
with the society and the different levels of the government shows the results of
the program everyday and should continuously bear fruit by developing the city,
maintaining and improving the successful initiatives and adopting new priorities.
Station Square – Release PBH/Belotur
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“Vila Viva” Program – The
Lively Town Program
As a reference in Brazil and other countries, the Vila
Viva - Lively Town Program promotes the urban and
environmental renewal in towns, slums and settlements
in Belo Horizonte, transforming the living conditions of
about 193,000 residents, or 40% of the total population
of towns and slums in the city. The City aims to
transform Belo Horizonte a city with all the lively towns,
expanding the program to other communities.
Implemented by the state’s capital since 2005, the
program has constructed the sanitary system, removed
families from dangerous areas, restructured the road
system, modernized alleys and constructed parks and
spaces to practice sports and leisure.
Actions to promote social and community development,
health and environmental education and creation of
alternative employment and income generation are part
of the program. After the intervention ceases, areas are
legalized with the issuance of deeds to occupants of the lots.
The Vila Viva has as one of its foundations popular
participation, and thus, establishes a new position in
the recovery process of permanent preservation areas.
The opening of a channel of dialogue with the community
through the Sanitary and Environmental Education
Program ensures the participatory characteristics
of the initiative and, therefore, guarantees greater
environmental sustainability.
Vila Viva Taquaril – Release PBH/Belotur
Vila Viva Aglomerado da Serra – Release PBH/Belotur
Structural Program for Dangerous Areas (PEAR)
Initiatives like the Vila Viva – Lively Town Program and the investments in residential areas have reduced dangerous
areas in Belo Horizonte, together with preventive actions taken. There are special programs developed to remove
families from houses of immediate threats, like the Structural Program for Dangerous Areas (PEAR). Its objective
is to coordinate and plan preventive actions in geologically dangerous areas, apart from implementing repair and
maintenance construction works, including urban settlements for those who have been removed.
It was established in 1993 when geologically dangerous areas were designated in Belo Horizonte. The program deals
with people living in the geologically dangerous areas through surveys and intervention in some cases. Through the
PEAR Program, the Housing and Urbanization Company of Belo Horizonte (Urbel) has managed to ensure protections
of lives of millions of families who live in areas where, for instance, there is risk of flooding and landslides. By
moving the community as preventive and corrective measures, the experts instruct those who live in the geologically
dangerous situations.
Umei Ouro Minas – Release PBH/Belotur
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Umei São Bernardo – Release PBH/Belotur
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Umei Aarão Reis – Re
lease PBH/Belotur
Participatory Budget: the
decision in the hands of
citizens.
other social activities, which are closely monitored by the
Participatory Budget Construction Execution Monitoring
Committee. More than 700 thousand participations have
been registered and 1,105 projects have been concluded,
in a total of 1,413 approved.
The Participatory Budget (PB) is a way to involve citizens
in deciding construction works and investments to be
executed. Among the construction works done under
the PB are schools, healthcare centers, culture centers,
recreational areas, parks, green areas, housings and top
of all, infrastructure.
In Belo Horizonte, there are 3 categories of the
Participatory Budget: the PB Regional, the PB Housing
and the PB Digital.
With the PB, urban, environmental and social development
can be achieved everywhere in the city, especially
suburbs, towns and slums, contributing to reduction of
social inequality and implementing commitments made
by the community for the sustainable development.
It has already been 19 years since the PB was implemented
in Belo Horizonte, and so far, over R$ 1.3 billion have been
invested in constructions of infrastructure, urbanization,
public facilities for education, healthcare, sports and
• Participatory Budget Regional: Established in 1993,
it has the objective of defining how part of the funds
destined to investments will be prioritized in each of
the nine administrative regions of the City.
• Participatory Budget Housing was implemented in
1996 so that citizens can decide where to spend the
funds for this aim. More than 6000 houses have been
built through the PB Housing;
• Participatory Budget Digital was established in 2006
so that citizens can also choose which construction
works to be done in the city over the internet.
Umei Nova Esperança – Release PBH/Belotur
Participative Budgeting Assembly – Release PBH/Belotur
First School: Municipal
Units of Early Childhood
Education – UMEI
Municipal Units of Early Childhood Education (UMEI)
are public institutions that deal with children of up to
5 years and 8 months old located in various regions
in the city. They integrate the First School Program.
Implemented in 2003, the program has ensured
significant advances in early childhood education since
then, including construction of UMEIs and job creation in
public kindergartens. Currently, the city has 64 UMEIs
and 13 public schools for this age group.
The architectural project of the units, highlighted as
an example by the Ministry of Education, is designed
for children and is the national parameters of the Early
Childhood Education, being a reference for the entire
country. The facades are colorful and the furniture are
designed to provide the best teaching performance. The
classrooms, spacious and well-ventilated, are equipped
with shelves and sinks.
The reduced number of students in a classroom makes
interaction and learning easier. All materials are
identified individually, and parents and teachers exchange
information and daily updates about children through
school notebooks. This special care caught attention to
a city that is pride of being the first city in Brazil that
provides the right early childhood education for all.
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BH Targets and Results
Under the BH Targets and Results, the city has implemented a new model of strategic management,
with an ongoing evaluation of results of the public policies, programs and projects in progress. This new
management model adopts a strong management approach so that social, economic, environmental and
institutional transformation should be achieved under the Governmental Plan.
The program has 12 target areas that are further divided into 40 Supporting Projects. Those 12 areas are:
Healthy City, Educational City, Accessible City, Safety City, Prosperity, Modernity, City with All the Lively
Towns, Sharing City, Sustainable City, City of All, Culture and Metropolitan Integration. Each Supporting
Project has special objectives, people to be taken care of, expected results, timeframe for its full
implementation, physical goals, agencies and teams involved in its execution and managers in charge of
the conducts.
Belo Horizonte – View – Release PBH/Belotur
Belo Horizonte 2030
It is now that we start to build Belo Horizonte that we want in
the future: all the actions, projects, programs or plans taken
today will affect in the long run. Therefore, it is important to
think now about the city we want for coming decades. Based
on this rationale, parameter for all the administration turned to
efficiency and modernity, that the City has developed a strategic
plan, a vision that we want for Belo Horizonte in the next 18
years. Just like this, planning for the future and executing now,
the city aims to build Belo Horizonte for everyone.
Savassi – Release PBH/Belotur
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Belo Horizonte,
the city that wins.
As the country’s first planned city in the Republican period
and projected to be the new capital of Minas Gerais, the
“City of Mines”, as known in the past, was inaugurated
on December 12, 1897. The name “Belo Horizonte” was
definitely adopted four years later, in 1901.
Capital of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte is located in the
Southeast and is the sixth most populous metropolis
in the country. It has been indicated by the Population
Crisis Committee, of the UN, as the city with better
quality of life in Latin America and 45th among the 100
best cities in the world. Today, records the fifth largest
GDP among Brazilian municipalities, representing 1.4%
of the total wealth produced in the country.
Evidence of the city’s development in recent times is
the classification by the Revista América Economía,
where Belo Horizonte appears as one of the ten best
cities for doing business in Latin America in 2009,
Brazil’s second and ahead of cities like Rio de Janeiro,
Brasilia and Curitiba.
Liberty Square – Release PBH/Belotur
Today, it is the seventh Brazilian municipality receiving
international events, according to the Internacional
Congress and Conference Association (ICCA) ranking.
Stage for large cultural shows, its schedule is always
filled with events, offering programming for all tastes.
Its touristic diversity attracts people from Brazil and abroad,
charms through its visual arts, music, theater, dance and
literature, revealing a modern and surprising city.
Affectionately dubbed Belô or Beagá, and bordered by
the Serra do Curral Mountain Range, Belo Horizonte has
received the title of “Garden City” for being one of the
capitals with largest number of trees.
Modern, with a high-quality tourism infrastructure and a wide
range of services, Belo Horizonte has been consolidated as a
center for tourism promotion. Whether tradition or modernity,
the hospitality, the friendliness of the people and the
values are characteristics recognized, creating an additional
attraction, welcoming and urging tourists to return often.
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Contemporary Landscape –
Pampulha
The architecture of Niemeyer outline Belo Horizonte
and these are very beautiful postcards of the city. The
lines of the great brazilian architect have helped build
our history, at the request of Juscelino Kubitschek,
mayor of Belo Horizonte in 1940. Thus, it was created
the Architectural Group of Pampulha, a landmark of
modern architecture, which inspired the construction
of Brasília. Art is in Pampulha, in Niemeyer’s work and
the work of great artists such as Portinari, Ceschiatti,
Burle Marx, Zamoiski, José Pedrosa, Guignard, and also
throughout the city.
Pampulha Lake
With a perimeter of 18 km, the Pampulha Lake was built in
the late 30’s, during the administration of the Mayor Otacílio
Negrão de Lima in order to expand the water supply of the
area. In the early 40’s, Mayor Juscelino Kubitschek idealized
along with Oscar Niemeyer, the architectural project of
Pampulha Lake, in an unprecedented initiative to modernize
the city of Belo Horizonte.
The Ball House | Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima, 751 –
Pampulha – Phone: 3277.7443
Architecture also translates into a ball: built in 1943 by
Niemeyer, the forms follow the Pampulha Lagoon and are
framed by Burle Marx gardens. Recently invigorated, it shelters
the Center for Reference on Urbanism, Architecture and Design,
with events and exhibitions on the theme.
Attractions
Pampulha’s Art Museum | Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima,
16.585 – Pampulha – Phones: 3277.7996
The museum itself is a work of art. The first of Niemeyer’s
projects, influenced by Le Corbusier, it was designed to be
a casino, the “Crystal Palace”, closed in 1946. Outside, Burle
Marx’s landscaping is blended into statues of Ceschiatti,
Zamoiski and José Pedrosa.
Mineirão – Governador Magalhães Pinto Stadium |
Av. Antônio Abrahão Caram, 1.001 – Pampulha – Phone:
3499.1154 – www.ademg.mg.gov.br – Closed for
Renovation Until 2013
Fans of all teams experience great emotions at the famous
Mineirão, our largest stage of the greatest national passion.
Inaugurated in 1965, it gets around 100 thousand tourists per
year and can hold 75 thousand people. After a wide reform, it
won 40 thousand numbered chairs and a modern system of
electronic safety and surveillance.
ARCHITECTURE
São Francisco de Assis Church | Av. Otacílio Negrão de
Lima, 3.000 – Pampulha – Phone: 3427.1644
There is no church like this one in the whole world. In curved
blue-shaded lines, it is completely lined by tiles and Cândido
Portinari’s panels, which portray the Sacred Road and the
image of Saint Francis. Considered as one of Niemeyer’s and
Portinari’s great works, the little church of Pampulha is framed
by the Lagoon and by Burle Marx’s beautiful gardens.
Mineirinho – Journalist Felipe Drummond Olimpic Stadium |
Av. Antônio Abrahão Caram, 1.000 – Pampulha
Phone: 3499.1171
Mineirinho is a show for those who enjoy emotions.
The multisports stadium was created in 1980 to stimulate
specialized sports and has already registered world breaking
records of public at hall football (soccer) and volleyball
games. With the capacity for 25 thousand people, today it is
also the stage of shows and varied exhibitions.
Pampulha – Ballroom House – Release PBH/Belotur
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Historical Museum
Abílio Barreto – Re
lease PBH/Belotur
Arts and Crafts Mu
Pampulha Art Museum – Rele
Aquarium Of The City Hall – River Basin San Francisco –
Zoobotanic Foundation of Belo Horizonte |
Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima, 8.000 – Pampulha – Phones:
3277.8489 and 3277.7842 – www.pbh.gov.br/zoobotanica
A corner full of native and exotic fish from the waters of the
São Francisco River, marked by all the cultural richness of
one of the most important rivers of the country, the Municipal
Aquarium is just like this. There are 22 tanks with the typical
species of the basin, and a second floor where you can watch
the fish on top, making the visitors feel as if they were on the
river banks.
Japanese Garden – Zoobotanic Foundation of
Belo Horizonte | Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima, 8.000 –
Pampulha – Gate 1 – Phone: 3277.8489 –
www.pbh.gov.br/zoobotanica
Located in the Zoo closed to the mail entrance, the garden
was designed by Haruho Ieda, a japanese landscaper. It was
planted typical trees from Japan, such as oriental pines,
cherry trees and bamboos. Bridges and decor lanterns,
lakes with coy fishes and artificial waterfalls complete
the ambiance.
Zoo – Zoobotanic Foundation of Belo Horizonte |
Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima, 8.000 – Pampulha – Phone:
3277.8489 – www.pbh.gov.br/zoobotanica
Rhinoceros, gorilla, elephant, giraffe, pythons, animals
threatened with extinction and... a diversity of butterflies!
The Zoo of Belo Horizonte, one of the most complete zoos in
Latin America, has everything. There are around 900 animals
of several species. It is visited by a million people every year
who also enjoy the Botanical Garden, a place of beautiful and
curious attractions.
Pampulha’s Ecological Park | Av. Otacílio Negrão de Lima,
6.061 – Pampulha – Phone: 3277.7439 –
www.pbh.gov.br/zoobotanica
It is difficult to resist the temptation to promenade around the
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seum – Release PBH/Be
Boa Viagem Church –
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300 thousand square meters of green area of the
Ecological Park District Attorney Francisco Lins do Rego.
Built on the margin of the lagoon, it is the Park is another
area of education, research and leisure. There are cultivated
tree species representative of three Brazilian biomes: Atlantic
woods, fenced-in land and Amazon forest. It is a perfect place
to practice sports, play in the open air or watch time go by.
Memorial of Japonese Immigration | Avenida Otacílio
Negrão de Lima, 6.061 – Pampulha – Phone: 3277.7439 –
www.pbh.gov.br/zoobotanica
Located in Pampulha Ecological Park, the monument
celebrates the friendship between Japan and Minas Gerais.
objects used at the beginning of the most varied professions,
where one can understand all the richness and evolution of
the work. Inaugurated in 2005, it is the first and only museum
in Latin America wholly dedicated to the theme. With an area
of 9,000 m2, it takes up the historical buildings of Praça da
Estação (Station Square).
Souza Pinto Sawmill | Av. Assis Chateaubriand, 809
cornering – Av. dos Andradas – Centro –
www.palaciodasartes.com.br – Phone: 3213.3434
Built in 1912, the Souza Pinto Sawmill was one of the first
buildings of the capital to make use of iron structures. One
of the beautiful samples of industrial architecture from the
beginning of the century, the sawmill was registered as a
historical patrimony in 1981 and restored in 1997. Today, it is a
convention center where shows, fairs, courses, congresses and
exhibitions take place.
Station Square and its surroundings
Station Square and Avenida Afonso Pena | Centro
Praça Rui Barbosa (Rui Barbosa Square), known as Praça da
Estação (Station Square) is at the present time one of the
major public spaces for the performance of shows and events.
Some of the biggest Junine Celebrations (typical religious
celebrations in honor of St. John, St. Anthony and St. Peter) in
the country takes place there, at the Arraial (Hamlet) de Belô.
But his history begins along with the origin of the city. It used
to shelter the train station through which the materials for
the construction of the new mineira capital arrived. Today, it
shelters a subway station and also counts on a big attraction:
the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the only one in Latin America
implemented in a beautiful neo-classic building.
Museum of Arts and Crafts | Praça Rui Barbosa, S/Nº –
Estação Central – Centro – Phone: 3248.8600
www.mao.org.br
A fascinating trip in time. There are over 2 thousand pieces
from the 18th through the 20th centuries, it is the collection
City Hall of Belo Horizonte | Avenida Afonso Pena, 1.212 –
Centro – Phone: 156 (Geral) – www.pbh.gov.br
In art-deco style, officially signed by the architect Louis
Signorelli, but revealing in its lines Rafaello Berti’s style, it is
characterized by a strong tendency towards geometric forms,
highlighted by the magnificence of its left side turret, cast
by large stained glass concrete structures. The openings,
closings, and description of the ornaments have remnants
of the German and Italian architecture of the 20s and 30s.
Saint Joseph Church | Rua Tupis, 164 – Centro – Phone:
3273.2988 – www.igrejasaojose.org.br – Monday to
Sunday from 6:30 A.M.to 9:00 P.M., Tuesday from 6:00 A.M.
to 4:00 P.M.
Inaugurated at the beginning of last century, the church soon
become a traditional religious meeting point of society. The
Saint Joseph Church has the shape of a perfect Latin cross.
av. afonso pena/centro
Avenida Afonso Pena | Centro
Afonso Pena Avenue is considered one of the most important
avenue in Belo Horizonte and is a main axis of the city centre.
It is the heart of the capital’s economy and interconnects both
natural and cultural tourist attractions. Along and near the
avenue you may find several attractions, such as Saint Joseph’s
Church, the Municipal Park, the Palace of Arts Theatre and,
every Sunday, the biggest Handcraft Market in Latin America.
Ufmg Conservatory | Av. Afonso Pena, 1534 – Centro –
Phone: 3409.8300 – www.conservatorio.ufmg.br –
Monday to Friday from 8:00A.M. to 5:00P.M.
Multiuse cultural space occupies the old building of UFMG
Music School. It’s reference for those who enjoy classical and
instrumental music, and it has one of the best concert halls in
the city. The Conservatory offers great cultural programming,
such as musical series.
Inimá de Paula Museum | Rua da Bahia, 1.201 – Centro –
Phone: 3213.4320 – www.inima.org.br
The museum is an homage to the modern painter Inimá José
de Paula. Besides the permanent exhibition with 80 of his
paintings there is an atelier and a Virtual Gallery with almost
2,000 cataloged pieces in its databases. The museum shows
the painter’s way into the historical and cultural Brazilian 20th
century’s context. The Museum is a real Cultural Center and
has a temporary exhibitions platform, video programs, music,
literature and a nice coffe shop.
Sete de Setembro Square | Av. Afonso Pena with
Av. Amazonas – Centro
Praça Sete is a landmark of reference in downtown Belo
Horizonte, located at the crossing of two of the main avenues
of the city: Afonso Pena and Amazonas. It is represented by an
obelisk more known as a “lollipop” - created to celebrate the
centennial of Brazil’s Independence.
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Américo Reneé Giannetti Municipal Park | Av. Afonso Pena,
s/nº – Centro – Phone: 3277.4161
First green area of the city, the Municipal Park was inaugurated
in 1897, even before the inauguration of the new mineira
capital. It was inspired in the French Belle Époque parks,
with lake, rose-bushes and bandstand. Today, it is a natural
historical landmark right in the middle of the downtown
area. It shelters more than 50 species of centenary trees, an
orchidary, flower beds, and children toys, in addition to the
Environmental Education Center, the Francisco Nunes Theater
and the Palace of the Arts.
Palace of The Arts | Av. Afonso Pena,1.537 – Centro –
Touristic and Cultural – Information Desk – Phone:
3236.7400 – www.palaciodasartes.com.br
Going to the Palace of the Arts is, in itself, a great sight.
Designed by Helio Ferreira Pinto and inaugurated in 1971, it
is the diversified cultural complex. A variety of exhibitions,
presentations and cultural events take place there. In the Grand
Theater, luxuriously decorated, there is always a show going
on in every style: music, theater, dance... It also relies on two
theaters, three art galleries, one movie theater, a library and a
coffee-shop, in addition to the Center of Mineiro Craftsmanship.
and national cinema. It promotes cultural and educational
activities about independent films.
Fair of Art And Craftsmanship of Afonso Pena |
Av. Afonso Pena – Centro – Phone: 3277.4914 –
Sunday from 8:00 A.M. to 2:00 P.M.
One of the major touristic attractions of the city, the fair
started at Praça da Liberdade (Freedom Square) back in
1969. It became a meeting point of several generations, since
the richness and the diversity of the pieces of work exhibit
is a success, attracting people from all over the country. It
ended up by extrapolating the limits of the square and it was
transferred to the Afonso Pena Avenue in 1991. It happens
every Sunday and gathers around three thousand exhibitors.
Minascentro – Convention Center | Av. Augusto de Lima, 785
– Centro – Phone: 3217.7900 – www.minascentro.com.br
Built in 1926, the building was adapted to shelter the first
convention center of the mineira capital. It maintains its
beautiful façade in neoclassic style, completely preserved.
The internal area was reformed to host events.
Belo Horizonte Culture Center | Rua da Bahia, 1.149 –
Centro – Phone: 3277.9248 – www.pbh.gov.br/cultura
One of the few m odels of neo-gothic architecture of
Portuguese inspiration in Belo Horizonte, the building
was constructed in 1914. With rich external and internal
decoration, it was registered as historical patrimony and
invigorated in 1997 in order to become a cultural space.
Raul Soares Square
Located at the crossing of the avenidas Amazonas, Olegário
Maciel, Bias Fortes and Augusto de Lima, the project, signed
by the architect Eric de Paula, is inspired in the European
gardens. Its unique floor is Portuguese “marajoara” flooring.
The fountain works in a synchrony of light, water and music.
Greatly illuminated, the square offers security to all its visitors
and also accessibility to people with locomotion difficulties.
Reference Audiovisual Center – Crav | Av. Álvares Cabral,
560 – Lourdes – Phones: 3277.4699 and 3277.4131 –
www.pbh.gov.br/cultura/crav – Monday to Friday from
9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
The MunicipaI Institution is a centre of excellence in
collection, research, production and dissemination of local
Central Market | Av. Augusto de Lima, 744 – Centro –
Phone: 3274.9434 – www.mercadocentral.com.br
Sabores, cheiros, tradições, ingredientes e objetos vindos
de todos os cantos de Minas. São mais de 400 lojas, bares e
barracas vendendo de tudo: queijos, legumes, carne-de-sol,
ervas, cachaça, artesanato e muito mais.
Station Square – Release PBH/Belotur
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Past and Present
Freedom and Savassi Squares
Belo Horizonte is a planned city – the first in Brazil – drawn
as of a small village called Curral del Rei. As time went by,
neo-classic constructions started to be incorporated, as well
as art Decó and modern ones, following the trends of each
time. Because of its care towards landscape, Belo Horizonte
has already been called Cidade Jardim (Garden City). A good
sample of its architectural and landscape style of the city is in
the Praça da Liberdade (Freedom Square), which mixes all the
styles, amongst very beautiful gardens.
Freedom Square
Praça da Liberdade (Freedom Square) is an invitation for walks,
hikes, meetings with friends. It is the heart of Belo Horizonte,
beautiful, green, flowery, surrounded by famous historical
buildings, such as the Niemeyer, the Rainha da Sucata (Queen of
Scrap), the Government Palace, among others. It very pleasant
just to stay there, sitting on the benches or inside the bandstand,
walking around admiring the gardens, the imperial palm trees,
the ipê trees, the luminous spring.
Savassi Square
In the 40’s, Savassi was the name of a traditional bakery,
meeting point of politicians and high society. The bakery
no longer exists, but the region continues to be a meeting
point, or better yet, a special point: today, it is a sophisticated
business center with outdoors events, charming coffee-shops,
bars, restaurants a busy night life style.
Freedom Palace | Praça da Liberdade, s/nº – Funcionários
– Phone: 3217.9543 – Av. Afonso Pena between Espírito
Santo Street and Tupis Street – on the even side
Is the headquarters of the Government of Minas Gerais.
Inaugurated in 1898, it was the stage of great decisions
that changed the political history of the country.
Liberty Square – Release PBH/Belotur
The luxurious decoration has details such as an iron
staircase and metallic structures imported from Belgium,
gardens in royal style, by Paul Villon, noble lounge Louis
15th style, a huge Czecho crystal chandelier and oriental
works of art, among others.
Boa Viagem Church | Rua Alagoas between Rua Timbiras
and Rua Aimorés – Funcionários – Phone: 3222.2361
At the times of small village Curral del Rei, it was a chapel
made of water and daub, dedicated to Our Lady of Boa Viagem
(Good Trip), patron of the muleteers. Today, it is a beautiful
cathedral in neo-gothic style, with wonderful stained-glass
windows, high altar worked in Carrara marble. Our Lady of
Boa Viagem has become the guardian of Belo Horizonte and is
celebrated every year on August 15th.
Our Lady of Lourdes Church | Rua da Bahia, 1.596 –
Lourdes – Phone: 3213.4656
The work of the Lourdes Church was started with the
construction of the capital. The architectural project, in
neo-gothic style, received adaptations and the church was
only finally inaugurated in 1923. Thirty five years later, in a
consecration solemnity, Pope Pio XII raised the Lourdes Church
to the category of Basilica.
Museums and Cultural Circuit
Tim Ufmg Place of Knowledge | Praça da Liberdade, s/nº –
Funcionários – Phone: 3409.8350
www.espacodo conhecimento.org.br
The Place of Knowledge hosts a modern planetarium, an
astronomy observatory, and several rooms that show to the
public, in an interactive and playful way, the creation of the
universe, the life on Earth and the environment. An activity
that draws attention is the simulation of how you would be
if you had the physical characteristics of other human group,
that of an Oriental, for example.
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With a revolutionary concept in exhibition, it tells the adventure
and the history of telecommunications. And not only with museum
objects, such as telephones and telex machines, but also by
means of plasma screens, LCD, computers and six hours of video.
Tim/UFMG Place of Knowledge – Release PBH/Belotur
Minas Gerais Memorial – Vale | Praça da Liberdade, s/nº –
Funcionários – Phone: 3343.7317
www.memorialvale.com.br.
The memorial brings to life thetraditions of Minas, told in an
interactive and contemporary manner. Real and virtual scenes
mix together to create experiences and sensations that take
thepublic from the 17th to the 21st centuries.
Mining and Metal Museum – Praça da Liberdade, s/nº –
Phone: 3516.7200 – Funcionários – www.mmm.org.br
In virtual environments, the Museum of Mining and Metal
uses a lot of creativity and technology to takeyou to
discover the exciting world of minerals. Each room is a
box of surprises. The second floor houses the Museum
of Metals displaying animation that shows the secrets of
chemistry and metals.
Toys’ Museum | Av. Afonso Pena, 2.564 – Funcionários –
Phone: 3261.3992 – www.museudosbrinquedos.org.br
Located at Historical House, the museum offers not only
education, culture and leisure, but it also preserves the
childhood memories, through researches. Its permanent
collection has more than 5.000 pieces, in which 800 of them
come from all around the world.
Historical Museum Abílio Barreto | Av. Prudente de Morais,
202 – Cidade Jardim – Phone: 3277.8573 –
www.amigosdomhab.org.br
Institution that holds significant part of the history of Belo
Horizonte, the HMAB was inaugurated in 1943, during the
administration of Mayor Juscelino Kubitschek. Its function
is to promote the collection, preservation, research and
dissemination of historical collections of Belo Horizonte and
its purpose is to make public the access to preserved cultural
goods. Its architectural and landscape complex includes
the modern office building, where are located the Usiminas
room, the technical reserves, the Studio for Conservation and
restoration, the auditorium and the Museum Café. Outside,
there are the secular house, the only remaining building of the
rural architecture of the surroundings of the ancient Village of
Curral del Rei, the shelters for the electric tram and the steam
locomotive, the outdoor stage and the gardens, designed as a
place for education and leisure.
Mineiro Museum | Av. João Pinheiro, 342 – Centro – Phone:
3269.1168 – www.museumineiro.blogspot.com
A rich collection of Colonial Sacred Art, a picture gallery. These
are collections that portray the formation of the mining culture
on different occasions, preserving our memory and traditions.
Built at the end of the 19th century, the building iself is
already a valuable asset.
Natural History Museum and Botanic Garden – UFMG
| Rua Gustavo da Silveira, 1.035 - Santa Inês – Phone:
3461.4204 – www.ufmg.br/mhnjb
A live window of biodiversity of Brazil: 600 thousand square
meters of green area, with the most significant samples o
four fauna and flora. The place has permanent and temporary
collections about art, culture and science, and also the nativitv
scene (Presepio do Pipiripau).
Natural and Sciences Museum Puc Mg | Av. Dom José
Gaspar, 290 – Coração Eucarístico – Phone: 3319.4152 –
www.pucminas.br/museu
An adventure in time. Fossils of mammals, carapaces of
armadillos and replicas of large dinosaurs are some of the
attractions exhibited at the rich collection of paleontology of
the museum. Among other entertainments, you can explore
the replica of a cavern and follow the first excavations in the
mining caves of the 19th century, in the exhibit on the Danish
investigator, Peter Lund.
City Horizons
Folk Art Center Cemig | Rua Gonçalves Dias, 1.608 –
Funcionários – Phone: 3222.3221 –
The Folk Art Center Cemig works in an old building designed
by architect Louis Signorelli in 1928 and displays a large
collection of artistic production of popular Minas Gerais and
Brazil. There are four floors, with studios,temporary exhibition
room, multipurpose auditorium, coffee shop, information
center and four exhibition halls of long duration.
Serra do Curral and Mangabeiras
It is not at random that Belo Horizonte has this name. The
city is named after a landscape because it is located among
mountains and is framed by the Serra do Curral, elected the
symbol of the mineira capital. Wherever you look from, one
will have a beautiful view, whether you are at the belvederes,
on the Praça do Papa (Square of the Pope), at the Park of the
Mangabeiras, on the slopes of the hills: there is always a place
to watch the sunset, take a walk, go on a hike, have a picnic in
the mountains, practice radical sports or simply contemplate
the natural beauties around you.
Telecommunications Museum – Oi Futuro |
Av. Afonso Pena, 4.001 – Ground floor – Mangabeiras –
Phone: 3229.3131 – www.oifuturo.org.br
Square of the Pope | Bus: 4103 – Aparecida / Mangabeiras
– Bus Stop: Av. Afonso Pena between Av. Amazonas and
R. Tamóios – on the even side.
“What a beautiful horizon!”. This sentence was said by no
one less than Pope João Paulo II, before the view seen from
the Israel Pinheiro Square, at the top of the Mangabeira tree.
After the outdoor mass, held in 1980, it started to be called
the Square of the Pope, where a monument was erected to
pay homage to the illustrious visitor. Surrounded by Serra do
Curral, the square is a great place to promenade and enjoy the
panoramic view of the city.
Park of the Mangabeiras – South Access | Av. José
Patrocínio Pontes (Anel da Serra) – North Access |
Av. Bandeirantes – Mangabeiras – Phone: 3277.8277 –
Fax: 3277.8273 – www.pbh.gov.br/mangabeiras
Embedded on Serra do Curral, the Park of the Mangabeiras is
one of the largest and most beautiful ecological strongholds
of the Belo Horizonte. With a landscape project signed by Burle
Marx, it is the largest green area of the city, with 2.3 million
m2 of. Of native woods, where one can go on trails among
capuchin monkeys, squirrels and other wild animals. And there
are also kiosks, multisports fields, children toys and arenas for
shows and plays.
Belo Horizonte surroundings
Human Heritage
Knowing Belo Horizonte, you travel through the history of
Brazil. The main capital is the starting point for you stroll
through historic heritage of humanity as Ouro Preto and
Congonhas. The best of Brazilian Baroque is exposed in the
open in cities that are in the historic surroundings of Belo
Horizonte. You go through the hills of Ouro Preto, Mariana,
Congonhas, Sabará, among others, and to face masterpieces
of Aleijadinho, Mestre Athaide and other great artists from
XVIII and XVX.
Serra do Cipó National Park
The title of “Garden of Brazil” was given by the landscaper
Burle Max. It is fair because Serra do Cipo is one of the most
exuberant natural joint of the planet. Serra do Cipó National
Park has an unmatched beauty, numerous waterfalls and one
of the most diverse floras in the world. The regionaccounts
for a collection enviable recreation, ecotourism, sports and
scientific research.
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Mariana – Release PBH/Belotur
Farms and Caves
The mountains of Minas not only hide precious metals,
but also havens. Small holes in the soil are portals to the
fascinating world of caves and cave mining. They are havens
of our ancestors, who left on its walls the story of a very
distant time. More than 600 caves near Belo Horizonte where
nature has also designed its history over thousands of years.
Instituto Inhotim
Inhotim gathers over 500 pieces of contemporary artwork,
displayed outdoors and in galleries. Many of these pieces are
shown in very distinct conditions than those of conventional
museums. In addition to its artistic collection, Inhotim
also maintains a Botanical Garden whose landscaping was
influenced by Burle Marx. The Garden features thousands
rare plant species, five lakes and areas of preserved forest.
Located in Brumadinho, 60 km from Belo Horizonte, Inhotim
is a marvelous place where art meets botany. It is the right
choice for those who want to be mesmerized. Tuesday to
Friday, 9.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays
9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Paid entrance.
For more information:
www.pbh.gov.br
www.belohorizonte.mg.gov.br.