Summit view
Over Belo Horizonte.
Paulo JC Nogueira — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Gabriel Nascimento Ferreira Souza Gomes — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Paulo JC Nogueira — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Paulo JC Nogueira — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cleubebracho — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Paulo JC Nogueira — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Serra da Piedade is a mountain in the municipality of Caeté east of Belo Horizonte, rising to 1,746 metres. It is a continuation of the Serra do Curral and marks the northern edge of the Iron Quadrangle, the mineral-rich heart of Minas Gerais. The range was known from the early seventeenth century and became tied to legends of silver mines that adventurers hoped would rival Potosí in Peru. The only historic building left on top is a small chapel begun around 1704 and finished around 1770, visited by the French naturalist Auguste de Saint-Hilaire in 1817. A paved road climbs to the summit, which gives a broad view over Belo Horizonte, Caeté, Sabará and the surrounding ranges, and a university astronomical observatory stands nearby. Morning mist is common, and the clear days of May to September give the best views.
Over Belo Horizonte.
18th century.
Near the top.
Caeté, about 40 km east of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais
Yes, a paved road reaches the summit.