[5] The settlement of Serra de Santo Antônio do Itacambiraçu, present-day Grão Mogol, had it origins in the discovery of diamonds at the end of the eighteenth century.

In 1839 the place was called Arraial da Serra de Grão Mogol and soon began to attract people from all over the country including foreigners to search for diamonds.

When the diamonds ran out the city began to lose population, especially after 1960, coinciding with the loss of territory to form the municipalities of Itacambira, Cristália and Botumirim.

Today the colonial buildings and the popular traditions make Grão Mogol an important touristic attraction.

The most important agricultural crops are bananas, coffee, tropical and citrus fruits, peanuts, rice, sugarcane, and corn.

[8] Besides the old historical buildings of the town there is an interesting church, Igreja Matriz de Santo Antônio, built in the nineteenth century by slaves for the white population.