Santo Antônio do Rio Abaixo

[1] Santo Antônio do Rio Abaixo came about with its clusters of houses occupying a space between the rough edges of an auriferous river and the slopes of small hills.

The expedition that founded Santo Antônio do Rio Abaixo consisted of families of Portuguese explorers Duarte and Alvarenga.

The pioneers started mining gold in the lands of the Morro Grande Farm, building, on the right bank of a river, a chapel to St. Anthony and also their huts, thus forming a small village.

In the year 1787, with a population fixed the River St. Anthony, estimated upwards of 400 people, José Ferreira Santiago, asked Queen Maria I of Portugal permission to raise a chapel which would serve him and his neighbours.

Santo Antônio do Rio Abaixo has many tourist attractions: This geographical article relating to Minas Gerais is a stub.