Praça Rui Barbosa

Greater Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is the name usually used to describe the Belo Horizonte metropolitan region, which is composed of 34 municipalities. As of 2013, it is the third largest metropolitan area of Brazil with more than Six million inhabitants; the largest city by population is Belo Horizonte.

Belo Horizonte (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈbɛlu oɾiˈzõtʃi], locally [ˌbɛloɾiˈzõtʃi] (listen); lit. 'Beautiful Horizon') is the sixth-largest city in Brazil, with a population around 2.7 million and with a metropolitan area of 6 million people. It is the 13th-largest city in South America and the 18th-largest in the Americas. The metropolis is anchor to the Belo Horizonte metropolitan area, ranked as the third-most populous metropolitan area in Brazil and the 17th-most populous in the Americas. Belo Horizonte is the capital of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil's second-most populous state. It is the first planned modern city in Brazil. The region was first settled in the early 18th century, but the city as it is known today was planned and constructed in the 1890s, to replace Ouro Preto as the capital of Minas Gerais. The city features a mixture of contemporary and classical buildings, and is home to several modern Brazilian architectural icons, most notably the Pampulha Complex. In planning the city, Aarão Reis and Francisco Bicalho sought inspiration in the urban planning of Washington, D.C. The city has employed notable programs in urban revitalization and food security, for which it has been awarded international accolades. The city is built on several hills, and is completely surrounded by mountains. There are several large parks in the immediate surroundings of Belo Horizonte. The Mangabeiras Park (Parque das Mangabeiras), 6 km (4 mi) southeast of the city centre in the hills of Curral Ridge (Serra do Curral), has a broad view of the city. It has an area of 2.35 km2 (580 acres), of which 0.9 km2 (220 acres) is covered by the native forest. The Jambeiro Woods (Mata do Jambeiro) nature reserve extends over 912 hectares (2,250 acres), with vegetation typical of the Atlantic Forest. More than 100 species of birds inhabit the reserve, as well as 10 species of mammals. Belo Horizonte was one of the host cities of the 1950 and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, the city shared as host of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the football tournament during the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Central is a Belo Horizonte Metro station on Line 1. It was opened in April 1987 as a one-station extension of the line from Lagoinha. In April 1992 the line was extended to Santa Efigênia. The station is located between Lagoinha and Santa Efigênia.

Arrudas is a stream that begins its course in Contagem and goes down through Belo Horizonte in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. It is one of the source of Das Velhas River Rio das Velhas in Sabará. Ribeirão Arrudas is formed by many streams: Jatobá, Barreiro, Bonsucesso, Cercadinho, Piteiras, Leitão, Acaba Mundo, Serra, Taquaril, Navio-baleia, Santa Terezinha, Ferrugem, Tijuco, Pastinho, among others, which are the tributaries of Arrudas. Together, Arrudas and its affluents form the Arrudas River Basin Bacia do Ribeirão Arrudas. Although most of the sources that make this important tributary of the Rio das Velhas are still clean, almost all sewage from Contagem and from Belo Horizonte is being dumped into Arrudas, which also jeopardizes Rio das Velhas Basin and Rio São Francisco Basin. The rapid and disorderly Urbanization of Contagem Belo Horizonte and later the construction of avenues to alleviate traffic in Belo Horizonte had removed the green on the banks of Arrudas, contributing to the increase in temperature in the city. In addition, the concrete riverbed added to the increasing soil sealing of the city have caused increasingly destructive floods along the basins of the Arruda and Rio das Velhas, in recent years. The recent construction of boulevards, as government attempts to solve the traffic problem in Belo Horizonte covered part of the stream, altering significantly the landscape of the city.

Praça Sete de Setembro (Sete de Setembro Square) normally called Praça Sete, is a square inside Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the center of the city's downtown. It's located at the intersection of two major avenues, Afonso Pena and Amazonas, and by the streets Rio de Janeiro and Carijós.It boasts an obelisk at its center donated by the people of the neighboring Capela Nova do Betim, today the city of Betim, the inhabitants of the state capital, on the occasion of the commemoration of the centenary of the Independence of Brazil, on September 7, 1822. The "Lollipop", as it is known, is made of granite and formed by a 7m needle supported over a square pedestal adorned by a pole in each of its vertices. It was designed by architect Antonio Rego and built by engineer Antonio Gonçalves Gravatá. history.

The São José church is an eclectic-style church with Neo-Gothic influence located in downtown Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was built by the Redemptorist congregation.

The Faculty of Medical Sciences of Minas Gerais (Portuguese: Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais, FCMMG) is a private university in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Founded in 1950 by Brazilian doctor Lucas Monteiro Machado, it became the second medical school established in the state, following the UFMG School of Medicine.

Faculdade de Direito da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG School of Law) is the university's oldest unit, and even appeared before UFMG. Recognized internationally, it is considered a center of excellence in legal education, professional training with great ability and critical view. The qualification of teachers - most have the title of doctor - and the high level of students ensure the recognition of its progress.

Lagoinha is a Belo Horizonte Metro station on Line 1. It was opened on 1 August 1986 as the eastern terminus of the inaugural section of the line, from Eldorado to Lagoinha. In April 1987, the line was extended to Central. The station is located between Carlos Prates and Central.

Santa Efigênia is a Belo Horizonte Metro station on Line 1. It was opened in April 1992 as a one-station extension of the line from Central. In December 1992 the line was extended to Horto. The station is located between Central and Santa Tereza.

Professor Paulo Neves de Carvalho Government School (Escola de Governo Paulo Neves de Carvalho) is a Brazilian state funded single institution of higher education, based in the city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The school offers undergraduate, masters, specialization and extension programs in the area of Public Administration. The School of Government is part of the João Pinheiro Foundation, and is linked to the government of Minas Gerais through the Secretary of State for Planning and Management (SEPLAG). The School of Government of the João Pinheiro Foundation was established in 1992 with the mission to promote the modernization and professionalization of the government and to improve the training of technical staff at the local, state and federal levels, promoting new management techniques and developing studies and research in public administration.

The Praça Raul Soares is a major square of Belo Horizonte. Built in French style, it is situated at the confluence of four major avenues: Amazonas, Augusto de Lima, Bias Fortes and Olegário Maciel. The square is named in honor of the former governor of Minas Gerais, Raul Soares de Moura. In 2008, the square underwent revitalization that was funded through the municipal Participatory Budgeting program and cost the equivalent of $2,600,000 U.S. dollars. The flowerbeds, sidewalks, large fountain and drinking fountains were restored. The project aimed to give more security and accessibility to the flow of pedestrians. Compromised trees were replaced, lampposts were resized, and advertisements were removed or adjusted in accordance with the appropriate codes. The walks were improved to provide easy access for the disabled and the visually impaired. Praça Raul Soares is listed by IEPHA (Instituto Estadual do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico de Minas Gerais) and therefore cannot be redeveloped, just restored.