1 of the 7 Wonders of Portuguese Architecture in the World: Brazil’s Church of St. Francis of Assisi

Larger Than Life: Art that inspires us through the ages

The Brazilian town of Ouro Preto originated in the 17th century, when in 1693 gold was discovered in the region. Most of the town’s architecture reflects its colonial Portuguese heritage. Robert Napiorkowski/Shutterstock

The former gold-mining town of Brazil’s Ouro Preto is rich in Portuguese architectural treasures. The remote and rugged hillside town was built in the late 17th century, after gold was discovered in the region in 1693. At the height of the region’s gold rush, 60 percent of the world’s gold came from Ouro Preto, but by the 19th century the gold had been exhausted.

One aspect of Ouro Preto’s rich heritage that still remains is its remarkable colonial buildings. The town is now a city and is itself on the UNESCO World Heritage list. And in 2010, the Portuguese government compiled a list of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World. The list of significant landmarks, limited to the Portuguese Empire (1415–1999), includes one of Ouro Preto’s churches: St. Francis of Assisi.