The colonial town of Sao Joao del-Rei is located in the southwest region of Minas Gerais, 182 km from the state capital of Belo Horizonte. Originally settled in the late 17th century as a gold-mining center, Sao Joao del-Rei is one of the primary baroque centers of Brazil and attracts tourists from all over the world. It is situated in a lush valley surrounded by rugged mountains. Colonial stone bridges connect the two sides of the city which is divided by the Lenheiro River. Sao Joao, recognized for its picturesque setting and rich cultural history, was selected to be the Cultural Capital of Brazil for the year 2007.

Two major historical personalities from Sao Joao del-Rei are Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier (nicknamed Tiradentes) and the 1985-elected President of Brazil, Dr. Tancredo de Almeida Neves. Tiradentes was the leader of the first organized movement for Brazil's liberation from Portugal and, in more recent times, the great "mineiro" politician Tancredo Neves, guided Brazil out of military rule.

Sao Joao del-Rei and neighboring Tiradentes attract a very large number of nationally recognized artists and hold numerous festivals. The UFSJ sponsors one of the largest art festivals in Minas Gerais with courses in the areas of the plastic arts, literature, history, theater, cinema, music and more during the month of July. Another popular touristic attraction is a train ride from Sao Joao del-Rei to Tiradentes in an old-fashioned 1880's Baldwin locomotive known as Maria Fumaca (Smoking Mary). This restored U.S.-made (Philadelphia) steam engine operates on a daily basis. The fashionable art-nouveau station houses a museum containing railroad objects and other locomotives from the late 19th century.Take a virtual train ride on Maria Fumaca.(opens in a new browser window)

Our students experienced this colonial city through academic studies and cultural events as well as through personal experiences. Our academic studies included the strutural analysis of the churches of the Third Orders of the Franciscans and that of the Carmelites, the Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of Pilar, as well as the churches of Our Lady of Mercy and Our Lady of Rosary of the Blacks. We also analyzed the domestic architecture by walking tours through the narrow cobblestone streets and visited the historical museums. The group had the opportunity to witness numerous religious processions celebrating the feast days of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Our Lady of Good End and Our Lady in Glory. The processions displaying elaborate baroque images were carried out on streets decorated with flower carpets and attended by hundreds of participants.