CONGONHAS

town, east-central Minas Gerais estado (state), Brazil, in the Brazilian Highlands, at 2,854 feet (870 m) above sea level. The settlement was made the seat of a municipality in 1938. Known as Congonhas do Campo before 1948, the town is a centre for the mining of iron, nickel, gold, and other minerals. The town is dominated by the great pilgrimage church of Bom Jesus (1773) and its chapels, which are set in 18th-century-style gardens. The main sanctuary is renowned for its impressive soapstone statues of the 12 Apostles, carved by Antnio Francisco Lisboa (commonly known as Aleijadinho). Thousands of visitors come to the town during the church's September festival. Congonhas is accessible from Ouro Prto and via the Rio de JaneiroBelo Horizonte highway. Pop. (1980 prelim.) 22,623.