Heritage restoration projects approved for historic churches in Minas Gerais

Heritage restoration projects are underway for two historic religious sites in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

In João Monlevade, the Heritage Council has approved the restoration project for the São José Operário Church. The approved plan includes technical corrections to the descriptive memorial and executive project. Key interventions involve the conservation of the existing altar table rather than full replacement, and the implementation of accessibility features such as a ramp to overcome a 2.77-meter elevation change, widened walkways, and adapted bathrooms. The project also includes the treatment and potential reuse of the church's external stones.

In Belo Horizonte, restoration work is entering its final stages at the Sagrado Coração de Jesus Church, a century-old Syriac Catholic church built in 1901. Currently in the fourth stage of a process started in 2019, specialists are working on the ceiling paintings, which depict scenes from the life of Jesus. While the ceiling restoration is expected to finish in March, further work on the walls, floors, and wooden stairs is projected to continue until the end of 2027.