A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
445: Pink elm tree flowering at Praça da Liberdade
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© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2013, 2017
Praça da Liberdade
All posts tagged Praça da Liberdade
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
400: Red rose
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© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2012, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
367: Pink winter blossom
Praça da Liberdade in Belo Horizonte is one of the most popular locations for both tourists and belohorizontinos. The big square is decorated as a park, and is cut in the middle by a cobble-stone-paved lane flanked by tall imperial palm trees. The square is surrounded by historical buildings that once were part of the state government. The main building is the governmental palace, that is still in use. The other buildings have been transformed into cultural centers and museums. The former Secretariate of Treasury (Secretária da Fazenda) is transformed into Memorial Minas Gerais-Vale. A museum – maintained and sponsored by Vale Company – that represents the history and heritage of the state of Minas Gerais. In winter, the ipê rosa (Handroanthus heptaphyllus), or Black Lapacho blooms with bunches of bright pink tubular flowers, which creates a colorful contrast with pale yellowish plaster of the historic building, with the 1897 cornerstone that marked the start of the construction of Belo Horizonte.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2012, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2013.
Part 30:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – World Cup hourglass
Itauna (MG) – Cow
Belo Horizonte (MG) – World Cup hourglass
Itauna (MG) – Cow
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2013, 2017
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
337: Praça da Liberdade Christmas decorations
It has been a long tradition that the municipality of Belo Horizonte provides exuberant Christmas decorations on the most famous square in the city: Praça da Liberdade, the Freedom Square. There are several buildings around the square that used to belong to the Minas state government. You can still notice the names of some federal secretariats on the façades. These secretariats have since disappeared, their spaces are now occupied by a number of museums with interesting local and national collections. One side of the square is occupied by the governor’s palace. The double row of palm trees are decorated with lighting and Christmas decorations, each year with a different design and theme. Other trees on the square also receive their Christmas lights. The open spaces on the square are filled by large Christmas figures. It is good to imagine that in the weeks before Christmas the square is difficult to reach by car. Many families with small children come here to marvel at the colorful lighting and decorations.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2011, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2008.
Part 64:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Christmas lights
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Water birds
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Handicraft with tin can rings
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Christmas lights
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Waterbirds
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Handicraft with tin can rings
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2008, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2011.
Part 18:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Palm tree flowers
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Caterpillar
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Christmas lights at Praça da Liberdade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Palm tree flowers
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Caterpillar
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Christmas lights at Praça da Liberdade
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2011, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2011.
Part 17:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Praça da Liberdade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Butterfly
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Praça da Liberdade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Praça da Liberdade
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Butterfly
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Praça da Liberdade
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2011, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2006.
Part 21:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Cushion in detail
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Railway station
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Cushion in detail
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Railway station
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2006, 2016
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2006.
Part 20:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Statue
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Railway station
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Statue
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Railway station
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2006, 2016
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2006.
Part 19:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Giraffes
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Statue couple
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Giraffes
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Statue couple
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2006, 2016
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2006.
Part 18:
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Purple flower
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Fern tree
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Purple flower
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Fern tree
Belo Horizonte (MG) – Running practice
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2006, 2016
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
194. Christmas decorations
DECEMBER 2008: Christmas decorations
Traditionally, much attention is given to the Christmas decorations at Praça da Liberdade in Belo Horizonte. Every year, this square – surrounded by stately former (state) government buildings – is transformed into an attractive square with Christmas decorations in a specific theme. Just before Christmas, it is almost impossible to reach the square by car. Entire families spend the evening there, enjoying a hot dog or a hamburger while strolling through the fairy-lit square. Children marvel at the Christmas characters, and enjoy themselves with the newly purchased toys, that are being offered by street vendors. Usually I was there to make some pictures of the decorations. In 2008, I even managed to take a picture of the reflection of such a decoration in a rain puddle.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2008, 2016
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
123. Toddler with drum
NOVEMBER 2007: Toddler with drum
On a sunny Saturday in November, this little girl was taking some rest, while sucking on her pacifier, at Praça da Liberdade in Belo Horizonte. She must have been playing a lot on her little plastic drum. That day, a big parade was going on, in memory of the death of Zumbi dos Palmares on 20 November 1695. Late seventeenth century, Zumbi was the leader of a quilombo –a refugee site of free slaves and slaves on the run – and had become as the symbol of African resistance against Portuguese dominance. Betrayal resulted in his capture and death. The day is now known as the day of Afro-Brazilian awareness, and has become a holiday in many Brazilian municipalities. But not in Belo Horizonte. The little girl took part of a large percussionist group, composed of adults and children, from the countryside of Minas Gerais.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2015
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
119. Young drummer
NOVEMBER 2007: Young drummer
In Brazil, on 20 November, special attention is paid on the awareness of fellow citizens of African descent. This day is called Dia Nacional da Consciência Negra. The day was not chosen randomly, but refers to the death of Zumbi dos Palmares, in 1695, an important historical figure in the slave resistance against the Portuguese rulers. In many Brazilian cities, 20 November is an official holiday. However, it is not the case in Belo Horizonte. Therefore, this day was celebrated on the following Saturday only. There was a so-called cortejo: a parade with much percussion and folklore, in which Zumbi and the African slaves and their descendants are honored. The little boy in the picture also participated in this long parade. He proudly shows that he knows how to play his little drum.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2015
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
086. Running
NOVEMBER 2006: Running
Since more than a decade, a large-scale running event is organized in Belo Horizonte, at the end of the year. Thousands of runners compete in the ‘Volta da Pampulha’, the Pampulha Lake walking event. The lake’s perimeter is 18,3 km, which equals nearly half a marathon. Weeks before this walking event, competitors take every opportunity to run some more kilometers. The perimeter of Praça da Liberdade is one of the popular locations for these competitors. They run dozens of times the entire perimeter, allowing each other to run their style and speed. It is very interesting to watch them running: from young men to older women. While I was having some rest in the park, I tried to catch them with my camera, while they were passing at full speed.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2006, 2014
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
056. Winter blossom
JUNE 2006: Winter blossom
A usual feature in wintry Netherlands, a normal thing in winter Belo Horizonte: flowering trees. Throughout the year, you enjoy the blossom splendor of a rich variety of trees in the capital of Minas Gerais. The city of Belo Horizonte boasts to have more than two million trees within the city limits. A new initiative of the city may add at least thirty thousand trees every year. The number equals the number of births in Belo Horizonte. A new tree will be planted for each new life. The picture was taken from Praça da Liberdade, which is surrounded by several former state buildings and a castle. The castle hosted the state government, which is now located outside the center, in a complex designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer. The former state buildings have been turned into museums with interesting collections of the Minas Gerais heritage and earth’s riches.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2006, 2014
Eyetest: Find the Lizard. In BELO HORIZONTE (MG)
Downtown Belo Horizonte, a few weeks before Christmas. Many people wander around for their Christmas shopping. They carry a large number of bags, printed in bright colors and designs. It is impossible not to see the brand names and logos that are screaming for attention.
On a pavement in downtown Belo Horizonte, not far from the crowded stores and warehouses, a lizard tried to survive. He moved on the pavement, thereby making itself almost invisible. I almost had hit its long tail. He ran away, seeking shelter at safer places.
The original picture was taken in December 2011
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Namoradeira at Feira Hippie, BELO HORIZONTE (MG)
Feira Hippie has nothing to do with hippies in general. It is an open air market, on Sundays, in the morning, in the center of Belo Horizonte. The largest market of Southern America, according to the tourist site, counts more than 2500 expositors, which offer a wide variety of arts, jewelry, toys, bags, shoes, furniture, decoration, clothes, and other things. Besides, there are various stands that offer local snacks and cold drinks. The Feira started in 1969, at Praça da Liberdade. With the years, the market expanded. In 1991, due to shortage of space, the market had to be moved to Avenida Afonso Pena, and now welcomes about 100 thousand visitors.
A namoradeira is a sculpture that is a typical product of Minas Gerais. It generally is made of wood, but can also be made of ceramics, plaster, or resin. The brightly painted sculpture represents a young girl, normally with a dark skin, with one arm supporting her head, and another crossed over her chest. A pose of a young, single girl, who is impatiently waiting for her lover. The sculpture usually is placed in the window.
The original picture was taken in July 2008
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Cortejo de Zumbi 2007, BELO HORIZONTE (MG)
November 2007. A colorful parade started from Praça da Liberdade, the principal square in Belo Horizonte, capital of the state of Minas Gerais. A parade to commemorate the struggle for freedom by the blacks, in Brazil. Zumbi was a resistance leader, fighting against the Portuguese colonists. It took almost two centuries after his death in 1694, to abolish slavery in Brazil, in 1888. November 20 is celebrated as the Day of Afro-Brazilian Consciousness.
The parade, which went from Praça da Liberdade to the Monument of Zumbi at Avenida Brasil, attracted many spectators. Not only black people joined the parade, as one can see on the photograph. This man appears to be an actor, or he must have escaped from a madhouse….
The original picture was taken in November 2007
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Adriano Antoine 