|
EXIT |
The state of Minas Gerais was initially inhabited by indigenous peoples of different ethnicities. They concentrated around river basins, where essential resources were more easily obtained. Among these different ethnicities, the presence of the Cataguás stands out in various regions of the present state of Minas Gerais. The Cataguás initially dominated the southern part of the state, near the Rio Grande river and along the border with the present state of São Paulo.
To expand control of the Colonial Empire, expeditions were launched into the interior of Brazil. During these expeditions, the Paulistas reached a region called the Sertão, which also includes present-day Minas Gerais. Due to the significant presence of the Cataguases, the region came to be known as the “Sertão dos Cataguases”. Over the decades, the bandeirantes attacked and enslaved the indigenous peoples. The intense conflict between the Paulistas and indigenous peoples resulted in the decimation of a large portion of the Cataguases peoples.
With the discovery of precious stones in the slopes of the mountains near Rio das Mortes in 1702, the bandeirante Tomé Portes del-Rey established a toll at the crossing of the river, at a place called Porto Real da Passagem. During this period, João de Siqueira Afonso found gold in the slopes of Serra de São José and along the rivers Rio das Mortes and Turvo. From there, a settlement called Arraial de Santo Antônio emerged. Over time, the place became known as Arraial Velho do Rio das Mortes due to the founding, in 1704, of Arraial Novo do Rio das Mortes (which is now São João del-Rei).
In 1708, with the establishment of the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário (Our Lady of the Rosary Church) was built, especially by the city’s Black population. The Brotherhood made efforts to adorn the temple with beautiful ornamentation by applying carving and painting. The enduring legacies of Afro-Brazilian labor and culture in Tiradentes, evident since the city's founding, are still visible today. Afro-descendant influences permeate the architecture and cultural practices that remain vibrant, including traditions such as Congado and Capoeira.
A war broke out between the bandeirantes Paulistas, 17th-century Brazilian explorers known for expanding colonial territories and displacing indigenous populations in their quest for slaves and resources, and explorers from other regions who were drawn by the allure of gold in the Brazilian Sertão. The bandeirantes sought exclusive rights to explore the region. From this, several conflicts erupted; one of them occurred in a place that came to be called Capão da Traição (Treachery Grove), in the village of São José del-Rei, now the city of Tiradentes. In this conflict, the emboabas, meaning the non-Paulistas, emerged victorious. The Portuguese Crown tightened tax collection and began to levy one-fifth of all extracted gold.
Most of the buildings in Tiradentes and its churches were built at the beginning of the 18th century, such as the Matriz de Santo Antônio, built in 1710. Around the churches and chapels, houses were established – in the highest part of the city. In 1718, the locality was elevated to the status of “vila” and received the name São José del-Rei in honor of Prince D. José, the future king of Portugal. Until the beginning of the 19th century, due to the large quantity of precious metals, São José del-Rei was considered a large town, with a population of over 20 thousand people and 33 districts.
“Inconfidência Mineira” was a protest movement by the economic elite against taxes imposed by the Portuguese Crown. The village of São José led the conspiracy. The ensign Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes, lived in the region of Rio das Mortes and took part in the movement. The conspirators had republican ideals and were against the political and economic system imposed by Portugal. The conspiracy was uncovered, and the only insurgent denied a pardon was Tiradentes, who was convicted and hanged on April 21, 1792. The portrayal of Tiradentes as a martyr developed after the Proclamation of the Republic in 1889.
Gold exploitation in São José del-Rei (now Tiradentes) peaked in the early 18th century. Towards the late 18th century, the gold mines in the region began showing signs of depletion, leading to a decline in mining activities. By the early 19th century, the mines in São José del-Rei were producing significantly less wealth, prompting many of the era's wealthy miners to migrate to the Paraíba Valley, where they turned their efforts to coffee cultivation.
As the 19th century saw the depletion of precious stone mining, Tiradentes underwent a significant economic transformation, shifting its focus from mining to agriculture and livestock. Attempts were made to boost the local economy by establishing textile factories and engaging with British mining company General Mining Association, but these efforts were unsuccessful. Even after the Tiradentes Railway Station opened in 1881, boosting some trade, the local economic situation didn’t really change. The area remained in a slump for many years, as the railway's effect on the economy was minimal.
On August 28, 1881, the Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas (Western Minas Railway) was inaugurated, with stations in Sítio, Barroso, Prados, São José del-Rei (now Tiradentes), and São João del-Rei. The introduction of the railroad greatly expanded trade in goods, facilitated the exchange of information, and boosted the flow of people. This railway, notable for its 76 cm gauge, offered technical quality with low implementation costs, an ideal solution for Minas Gerais' challenging terrain. A total of 600 km was constructed.
In 1889, Rio de Janeiro's Antônio da Silva Jardim toured cities in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais, promoting republican ideals. On a visit to São José del-Rei, at the rail station, he made a passionate plea for republicanism and suggested renaming the city to Tiradentes, after the Minas Gerais revolutionary. By December that year, the city had been officially renamed.
In 1924, a group of intellectual artists from São Paulo, known as the modernists, embarked on a train journey to explore various cities in Minas Gerais, including Tiradentes. Struck by the city's apparent neglect and the feeling of being frozen in time, they were deeply moved by what they encountered. This experience prompted passionate discussions among them about the urgent need to preserve the cultural heritage of Minas Gerais towns, particularly Tiradentes. As a result, in 1938, the Conjunto Arquitetônico e Urbanístico da Cidade de Tiradentes (Architectural and Urban Ensemble of the City of Tiradentes) was officially listed for preservation by SPHAN – the National Historical and Artistic Heritage Service.
At the close of the 18th century, as the gold rush waned, cities in Minas Gerais faced economic setbacks compared to the coastal provinces. Building railways offered a solution to link the interior (often referred to as “sertão”) to the coast, notably Estrada de Ferro Dom Pedro II from Rio de Janeiro to Minas Gerais, aimed at stimulating the local economy. In 1878, the Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas (Western Minas Railway, EFOM) was established to connect Western Minas with Rio de Janeiro, marking it as the first public company in Minas Gerais focused on this endeavor.
Three years after its formation, the first section of EFOM was inaugurated, connecting Sítio, Barroso, Prados, São José del-Rei (now Tiradentes), and São João del-Rei, reaching Barra do Paraopeba by 1894. The inauguration was attended by Emperor Dom Pedro II, Empress Dona Teresa Cristina, and over 800 guests. Although São João del-Rei was festively adorned with bamboo arches, lanterns, flowers, and vines, celebrations were called off due to the sudden passing of the Minister of Agriculture, Buarque de Macedo, on the eve of the event.
After nearly two decades in operation, Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas (EFOM) declared bankruptcy due to financial difficulties, leading to its nationalization by the government in 1903. In the 1920s, EFOM's headquarters moved from São João del-Rei to Belo Horizonte.
The Águas Santas Branch was built to facilitate transport for residents and visitors of the Águas Santas Spa Town, and to distribute products from Italian immigrant colonies. It was inaugurated in 1910 with two stations: César de Pina and Águas Santas, spanning just over 11 kilometers with a gauge of 76 cm. This railway branch became popularly known as “Trenzinho das Águas” (Águas Little Train).
In 1931, Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas was no longer federalized and was leased by the state government of Minas Gerais. The state-owned EFOM was renamed Rede Mineira de Viação Oeste (Minas Rail Network–West, RMV–Oeste) and Rede Sul-Mineira (RMV-Sul, Minas Rail Network–South), encompassing other railways in southern Minas Gerais. In September 1938, a decree-law unified these two operations for administrative efficiency, renaming it Rede Mineira de Viação (Minas Rail Network, RMV).
In 1953, Juscelino Kubitschek, then Governor of Minas Gerais, reached an agreement with President Getúlio Vargas for the return of RMV to federal control. Subsequently, RMV was managed by the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works. In 1957, when Kubitschek became President of Brazil, Rede Ferroviária Federal S.A. (Federal Railway Network Inc., RFFSA) was established, integrating various railway lines across the country. RFFSA became a publicly traded company, with the government controlling 51% of the shares.
From the 1960s, with the rise of other transportation modes like roadways and automobiles, there was a perceived decline in the railways' role in economic development. In response, the government began a process of phasing out economically unviable railway lines and branches. In 1966, the Executive Group for the Replacement of Uneconomical Railways and Branches (GESFRA) was created to oversee this deactivation.
As the years passed, parts of the railway were modified and discontinued. Starting in 1984, most of the line was decommissioned, except for the segments between São João del-Rei and Tiradentes, and between Aureliano Coutinho and Divinópolis. The São João del-Rei to Tiradentes segment was transformed into a tourist attraction, offering rides primarily on weekends and holidays. This train soon became affectionately known as “Maria-Fumaça”.
In the 1980s, preservation movements for railroads gained momentum, leading to the establishment of the Heritage Preservation Program (Preserve) and the Railway Heritage Preservation Sector (Preserfe). This culminated in a 1989 listing application to the Brazilian National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN), resulting in the 12 km stretch between São João del-Rei and Tiradentes being designated as a cultural heritage site. This area includes significant features such as São João del-Rei Station and Railway Museum, sheds, workshops, a roundhouse, a locomotive building, tracks, bridges, and Tiradentes Station.
In 1991, initiatives to attract investment for the railway sector and discussions on privatization began. During this period, the railway section between São João del-Rei and Tiradentes faced the threat of being shut down. Responding to this risk, a significant public protest was held at Tiradentes Station to oppose the cessation of services. Organized by the Movement in Defense of the Train, which included various cultural groups and local citizens, the campaign successfully influenced decision-makers to keep the train running.
In 1992, President Fernando Collor launched a privatization program that included RFFSA. By 1996, rail networks had been segmented by region and auctioned to private operators. During this period, Ferrovia Centro-Atlântica S.A. (Central Atlantic Railway Public Company, FCA S.A.) began overseeing specific railway sections in Bahia, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. In 1999, the mining company Vale took over FCA S.A., and in May 2011, VLI was established, incorporating FCA.
In May 2024, Tiradentes Railway Station became home to the Memories Station program. This space, collaboratively created with residents and family members of former railway workers, serves to preserve and share the stories of the station during its operational years as the city's principal mode of transportation. The project aims to maintain and promote the history of the station and its surroundings.
