Fodor's Expert Review Igreja de Santa Efigênia
Ouro Preto
On a hill east of Praça Tiradentes, this interesting slave church was built over the course of 60 years (1730–90) and was funded by Chico-Rei. This African ruler was captured during Brazil's gold rush and sold to a mine owner in Minas Gerais. Chico eventually earned enough money to buy his freedom—in the days before the Portuguese prohibited such acts—and became a hero among slaves. The clocks on the facade are the city's oldest, and the interior contains cedar sculptures by Francisco Xavier de Brito, the teacher of the noted sculptor Aleijadinho.
