Mariana was the first capital of Minas Gerais and the first city in the state to receive its charter, in 1745. It sits just 12 kilometres east of Ouro Preto in the hills of central Minas, and the two are often visited together — but Mariana is quieter, less touristy, and arguably more charming.
The Praça Minas Gerais, flanked by two baroque churches (São Francisco de Assis and Nossa Senhora do Carmo) and the old town hall, is one of the finest colonial squares in Brazil. The Cathedral of Nossa Senhora da Assunção contains a German pipe organ from 1701, one of the oldest in the Americas, and organ concerts are held regularly. The Museu Arquidiocesano has an excellent collection of sacred art.
Mariana was devastated in 2015 when a mining dam collapsed upstream, sending a wave of toxic mud through the Rio Doce valley. The city itself was spared the worst, but the disaster scarred the region deeply and remains a painful subject. The colonial centre, thankfully, stands intact and remains one of the finest in Minas Gerais.