Cultural landscapes, territory and the cultural heritage of mining in the "quadrilátero ferrífero" ("iron quadrangle") of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The Quadrilátero Ferrífero (Iron Quadrangle) is a 7,500 km² region located in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It is the main iron-ore-producing area in Brazil and has an industrialized economy whose contemporary landscapes reveal a process of urban deterioration that must be contained and reversed. The mineral exploration activities that were an integral part of the historical formation of this area, while contributing to the process of social and environmental degradation, were also responsible for creating places of social memory and identity for its localities, and therefore shaping this territory. This fact can be observed in its contemporary landscapes, mainly in its diverse types of historical built heritage, as well as various cultural features of the region.

Thus, the aim of this article is to analyze the town of Miguel Burnier, in the municipality of Ouro Preto, a part of the Iron Quadrangle. The socio-cultural impacts arising from the establishment of mining and industrial activities in a given territory will be discussed starting from the study of the construction of its territorial identity and its cultural heritage of mining and industry, as these elements shaped its contemporary cultural landscape.