It may not be the prettiest town in Minas Gerais, but Congonhas boasts one of the most revered and respected masterpieces of the great Brazilian sculptor O Aleijadinho.
The town of Congonhas do Campo is less remarkable than its more well-preserved and better-looking neighbours, but the reason why it remains an integral part of any visit to Minas Gerais is the presence of the twelve intricately carved soapstone prophet statues outside of the Sanctuario do Bom Jesus de Matosinhos. The church itself offers a pretty facade, so typical of the region, but what sets it apart are the statues, widely thought to represent the pinnacle of the genius of Brazilian sculptor-cum-architect O Aleijadinho.
They represent twelve prophets of the old testament and each holds a script of Latin text from the bible. The artwork is noteworthy not only for the precision and detail, but also for the harmonious layout and the mystery which surrounds them - why did he choose these and not others? What do they tell us about the incredible man behind them? What's even more remarkable is that they were created at the beginning of the nineteenth century, when the famous sculptor was ageing and largely debilitated. UNESCO describe the work as a "highly original, moving and expressive form of Baroque art."