Serro

Serro lies in the mountains of northern Minas Gerais, in the district once called Serro do Frio. Its steep streets and colonial buildings grew from a settlement founded in the search for gold. Together with nearby Tijuco, it became an important centre for the opening of the Brazilian interior to gold and diamond mining.

In 1702 an expedition led by Antônio Soares Ferreira found gold in the mountains. The settlement was raised to a town in 1714 as Vila do Príncipe and became the seat of the Serro do Frio district in 1720. Diamonds were found in the region during the following decade, adding another source of wealth to the gold workings. A foundry served the crown’s efforts to collect its share of the gold, while churches and houses marked the prosperity of the mining community.