Pirenopolis
A gold-era town in Goias with waterfalls in every direction and a festival of masked horsemen staging a medieval battle.
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Pirenopolis was founded in 1727 on gold and survives as a listed centre of stone-paved streets and whitewashed houses, with the Nossa Senhora do Rosario church of 1732 - Goias's oldest, rebuilt after a fire in 2002. Around it are dozens of waterfalls on the Serra dos Pireneus, most on private land with their own gates and fees. Its festival is the Festa do Divino Espirito Santo, and its centrepiece is the Cavalhadas: three days in which riders in masks and costume act out a battle between Christians and Moors, a tradition brought from Iberia and staged in a purpose-built arena, with the mascarados riding through the town in bull-headed masks. The town has become a Brasilia weekend destination, with the prices that follow.
What you actually see
- Goias's oldest church - Nossa Senhora do Rosario, from 1732.
- The Cavalhadas - masked riders staging a Christian and Moorish battle.
- Waterfalls on the serra - dozens, most on private land with separate gates.
- A listed gold-era centre - stone streets and whitewashed houses.
When to go
May to September; the Cavalhadas fall around Pentecost. Three days.
Honest expectations
Each waterfall charges its own entry and they add up quickly; a car is essential. Weekends bring Brasilia crowds and raised prices. During the Cavalhadas the town is completely full. Falls run thin at the end of the dry season.
Nearby
Brasilia is south-east; Goias Velho is west.
What to pack for Pirenopolis
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.