Minas Gerais recognizes Casa de Dona Beja, Samba, and Cachaça as heritage

The State Council of Cultural Heritage (Conep) in Minas Gerais has approved three new cultural heritage designations to preserve the state's history and traditions.

In Araxá, the historic Casa de Dona Beja, also known as Pensão Tormim, has been officially landmarked. Built between the 1820s and 1830s, the building is tied to the legacy of Anna Jacintha de São José, a prominent social and political figure of the 19th century.

Additionally, the council granted intangible heritage status to two cultural expressions: the Samba traditions of Minas Gerais and the traditional methods of producing artisanal cachaça. The Samba recognition honors the cultural resistance and identity of 246 registered groups, while the cachaça designation protects generational knowledge in a state that leads national production with an estimated 13.5 million liters per year.