The Mineirão sits at the north end of the Pampulha district and is the largest football stadium in Minas Gerais — capacity around 62,000 after the renovation for the 2014 World Cup. It was inaugurated in 1965, and Pele famously scored his thousandth career goal here in 1971. Today it is home to both of the city's big clubs, Cruzeiro and Atlético Mineiro, who alternate weekly matches.
Even outside match days the stadium is worth a stop. Stadium tours run several times a day and include the changing rooms, the pitch tunnel, and the Brazilian Football Museum in the basement. Sitting in the silent bowl gives a different impression of the place than fighting through 60,000 people on a Sunday.