market · Diamantina, MG
Mercado Velho
Built in 1834 as a resting place and trading post for tropeiros (mule drivers), it has a wooden structure with half-moon arches. On Praça Barão de Guaicuí, it hosts a handicraft fair, traditional food and music on weekends.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Mercado Velho
The Mercado Velho is the old market of the tropeiros (mule drivers) of Diamantina, in the historic center. It is also called the Mercado dos Tropeiros or Mercado Municipal. It stands on Praça Barão de Guaicuí, known as Praça do Mercado Velho.
The building was erected in the 1830s by Lieutenant Joaquim Casimiro Lages. It served as a home, a trading post and a resting place for the tropeiros, who unloaded the goods they brought from other regions of Minas Gerais there. The wooden structure, with its long row of arches, is one of the best-known images of the town. It is said that these arches inspired Oscar Niemeyer's Palácio da Alvorada, in Brasília.
Today the market is a meeting point for locals and visitors. On Saturdays it hosts a fair with cheeses, sweets, vegetables, spices, cachaça (sugarcane spirit) and local handicrafts. On weekend nights, the space often has Minas Gerais food stalls and live music.
The outing is relaxed and on the flat part of the square, but the way there goes through stone streets and alleys, with steep slopes. It is worth combining the visit with the Cathedral and the surrounding streets.
Before you go
Practical information
How much time to set aside
30 minutes to an hour; longer if you are having lunch or enjoying the music at night.
Best time
On Saturday morning, during the fair, when the market is full of stalls; from April to September it rains less and the sky is usually clear.
How to get there
It is on Praça Barão de Guaicuí, in the historic center of Diamantina. You can walk from the Cathedral and Rua da Quitanda, heading down the Beco da Tecla (alley).
Tip
Wear comfortable shoes, because the stone paving is uneven. At the fair, try the local cheeses and sweets and bring small bills.
A look at the place
Mercado Velho in pictures
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
Click the picture to enlarge it.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Mercado Velho
Is there an entrance fee for the Mercado Velho in Diamantina?
No. The market is an open space on the square, and admission is free; you only pay for what you eat or buy.
What day is the fair at the Mercado Velho?
The main fair is on Saturdays, with local products, food and handicrafts. Check the week's schedule with the city government before you go.
When was the Mercado Velho built?
In the 1830s, as a resting place and trading post for the tropeiros (mule drivers) who supplied the town.
Is there music at the Mercado Velho at night?
On weekend nights the market often has Minas Gerais food and live music. The program varies.
How long does the visit take?
30 minutes to an hour. If you go to the fair or stay to eat, you may spend more time.