Belo Horizonte Hotels

Belo Horizonte (Beautiful Horizon) (Portuguese pronunciation: [bɛloɾiˈzõtʃi]) is the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, located in the southeastern region of Brazil. It is the third-largest metropolitan area in the country. Belo Horizonte (or "Beagá", as it is also familiarly known from the sound of its initials "BH" in Portuguese) has a population of over 2.4 million, reaching almost 5.4 million in the official Metropolitan Area.

The first settlements in the region occurred in the early 1700s, but the city as it is known today was planned and constructed in the 1890s, in order to replace Ouro Preto as the capital of Minas Gerais. At the present day, the city is well known for the contrast between contemporary and classical buildings, being in fact the location of many modern Brazilian architectural icons, most notably the Pampulha Complex. In planning it, Brazilian engineers Aarão Reis and Francisco Bicalho found their inspiration in the town plan of Washington D.C.

In the area surrounding Belo Horizonte there are several parks. The "Parque das Mangabeiras", located six kilometres south east from the city centre in the hills of the Serra do Curral, affords a view over the city. It has an area of 2.35 million m2, of which 900 000 m2 is native forest. The "Mata do Jambeiro" nature reserve extends over 912 hectares, with vegetation typical of the Atlantic forest. More than one hundred species of birds inhabit the reserve, as well as ten different species of mammals.

Belo Horizonte is a leading cultural center, with more than nine universities, a historical museum, numerous libraries, and sports stadiums. The city is built on several hills and completely surrounded by mountains. The constant rising and falling of the streets sometimes makes navigation a bit tricky, but the wide avenues lined with trees are always easy guidelines. The Confins International Airport connects Belo Horizonte with many Brazilian cities and also operates international flights.

Belo Horizonte is the distribution and processing center of a rich agricultural and mining region and the nucleus of a burgeoning industrial complex. Production is centred on steel, steel products, automobiles, and textiles. Gold, manganese, and gem stones mined in the surrounding region are processed in the city. Belo Horizonte is home to the Federal University of Minas Gerais.



Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belo_Horizonte